cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Multiplex Antinuclear Antibody Assay in Pediatric Patients

Objective: To determine whether multiplex antinuclear assay (ANA) can replace immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in pediatric patients. Methods: Archived frozen serum samples from patients with suspected autoimmune diseases were selected based on the availability of leftover serum samples with corresponding results. These samples had been previously tested for ANA using IFA methodology (101 samples), dsDNA (93 samples), and ENA (27 samples) by ELISA methods. Antinuclear assay screen was performed on these samples using the AtheNA Multi-Lyte ANA Test System. Results: There was a high level of discordance (45.5% concordance) between multiplex ANA screen and IFA method but strong correlation between multiplex ANA and specific autoantibody assays (89% to 96% concordance). All patients with positive ANA by IFA method, who were either diagnostic or suspicious for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), were negative by multiplex ANA assay. Conclusion: Multiplex ANA testing is an efficient and reliable method for detecting specific antinuclear antibodies; however, it cannot replace IFA as an ANA screening method in the pediatric population, especially for children with JIA.
Polyacrylamide-gel block-electrophoresis of plasma lipoproteins.

We separated lipoprotein fractions on a preparative scale by two techniques of polyacrylamide-gel block electrophoresis. Completeness of separation of the various lipoproteins, which were subsequently extracted from the gels, was verified by re-electrophoresis and by immunologic techniques. A principal advantage of this method over ultracentrifugal isolation is the relatively short time required for the separation.
Circadian timekeeping in BALB/c and C57BL/6 inbred mouse strains

Circadian rhythms of locomotion (wheel-running activity) in 12 inbred mouse strains were recorded for interstrain differences in tau DD, the endogenous (free-running) period of the circadian pacemaker measured in constant environmental darkness. The results indicate that 1 or more genetic loci influence the value of tau DD, and a large (50 min) difference in mean tau DD between 2 of the strains, BALB/cByJ and C57BL/6J, allowed further characterization of the origins and inheritance of the polymorphic expression of this circadian pacemaker property. The interstrain difference in mean tau DD was associated with an interstrain difference in light-induced shifts of the phase of the free-running locomotor rhythm; the BALB/c strain (with the shorter mean tau DD) displayed relatively fewer advance phase shifts. Neither the history of previous light exposure, albinism, nor elevated circulating testosterone levels could account for the interstrain difference in mean tau DD. The value of tau DD based on the circadian rhythm of drinking activity (with the running wheel removed) was longer than that based on locomotion; this discrepancy was significantly greater and more variable in BALB/c than in C57BL/6 mice, though the interstrain difference in mean tau DD could not be attributed entirely to this effect. Reciprocal F1 hybrids of BALB/c x C57BL/6 matings revealed dominance of the C57BL/6 genotype, no sex linkage, and a significant (but small) maternal effect. Examination of CXB recombinant inbred strains provided no support for the hypothesis of monogenic inheritance. Further study of inherited differences in the BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains may be a useful noninvasive experimental approach for investigation of the neurobiological substrates of circadian rhythmicity.
Local government information technology capacity: an exploratory theory

Local government has made use of information technology for a long time, but the level of information technology capacity varies tremendously across local governments. While Web-based e-government applications development becomes more prevalent, applying newly developed IT continues to depend on the general ability of government to obtain, manage and utilize IT. This paper starts by providing a comprehensive definition of IT capacity, which incorporates both human aspect and non-human aspect of IT capacity. Next, we propose a theoretical model to identify and knit together the crucial factors affecting the achievement of IT capacity in local governments. Managerial capability of IT manager affects the level of IT capacity of a local government through the interactions with support from administrative authorities and financial supports available for IT innovation. A series of cases from New Jersey municipalities illustrate the proposed theory and enrich it by revealing the relationships between the factors not identified in the theory.
Cerebrovascular response to carbon dioxide during sodium nitroprusside- and isoflurane-induced hypotension

We have examined the cerebrovascular response to carbon dioxide during normotension, sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced hypotension and high dose isoflurane-induced hypotension in 10 patients who received a standardized general anaesthetic. Carbon dioxide reactivity was determined by varying Paco2 between 3.0 and 8.0 kPa and recording simultaneously blood flow velocity from the middle cerebral artery (vmca). The paired vmca-Paco2 data were analysed using linear regression to determine carbon dioxide reactivity. During hypotension, both high-dose isoflurane and SNP reduced significantly mean absolute (from 17.4 (SEM 2.3) to 13.0 (1.7) and 8.8 (1.3) cm s−1 kPa−1 respectively; P
Early astrocyte redistribution in the optic nerve precedes axonopathy in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma.

Glaucoma challenges the survival of retinal ganglion cell axons in the optic nerve through processes dependent on both aging and ocular pressure. Relevant stressors likely include complex interplay between axons and astrocytes, both in the retina and optic nerve. In the DBA/2J mouse model of pigmentary glaucoma, early progression involves axonopathy characterized by loss of functional transport prior to outright degeneration. Here we describe novel features of early pathogenesis in the DBA/2J nerve. With age the cross-sectional area of the nerve increases; this is associated generally with diminished axon packing density and survival and increased glial coverage of the nerve. However, for nerves with the highest axon density, as the nerve expands mean cross-sectional axon area enlarges as well. This early expansion was marked by disorganized axoplasm and accumulation of hyperphosphorylated neurofilamants indicative of axonopathy. Axon expansion occurs without loss up to a critical threshold for size (about 0.45-0.50 μm(2)), above which additional expansion tightly correlates with frank loss of axons. As well, early axon expansion prior to degeneration is concurrent with decreased astrocyte ramification with redistribution of processes towards the nerve edge. As axons expand beyond the critical threshold for loss, glial area resumes an even distribution from the center to edge of the nerve. We also found that early axon expansion is accompanied by reduced numbers of mitochondria per unit area in the nerve. Finally, our data indicate that both IOP and nerve expansion are associated with axon enlargement and reduced axon density for aged nerves. Collectively, our data support the hypothesis that diminished bioenergetic resources in conjunction with early nerve and glial remodeling could be a primary inducer of progression of axon pathology in glaucoma.
Principles of agribusiness management

Principles of agribusiness management , Principles of agribusiness management , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی
Safety-specific transformational and passive leadership influences on firefighter safety climate perceptions and safety behavior outcomes

Abstract Background The impact of leadership on safety climate and safety outcomes has become an important area of research in organizational, leadership and safety sciences. There is evidence that safety-specific transformational leadership positively impacts safety outcomes including safety climate and safety behaviors. However, these relationships have not been thoroughly explored within the fire service. This study is one of the first known studies to examine the relationships between safety-specific transformational and passive leadership, safety climate and safety behavior outcomes in a sample of firefighters. Methods Data were collected from 398 professional firefighters in the southeastern United States. Structural equation modeling was used to complete the analyses and to examine hypothesized relationships. Results Safety-specific transformational leadership had a positive influence on safety climate perceptions among firefighters. Conversely, passive leadership, in the context of safety, had a negative impact on safety climate. As expected, safety climate perceptions are positively and significantly associated with safety behaviors, including safety compliance behaviors and safety participation behaviors. Conclusions These findings provide important evidence of the relationships between leadership styles, safety climate and safety behaviors in the fire service. Ultimately these findings provide guidance for public administrators, fire service administrators and company officers to bolster firefighter safety outcomes.
Immunoregulatory role of chimerism in clinical organ transplantation.

Infusions of stem cells and other bone marrow-derived cells are increasingly being used for the possible induction of specific tolerance in solid organ transplantation, besides their conventional use for conferring new immune and myelopoietic systems to immuno-ablated individuals. Even though a wealth of knowledge is available from experimental animal models, this brief review will dwell exclusively on what we know of, or can speculate about, the immunobiology of chimeric cells of donor phenotype residing in human organ transplant recipients. The classic observations of Billingham et al in 1953, that H-2 disparate donor bone marrow-derived cells could bring about specific acquired tolerance to skin allografts in fetal or new-born murine recipients (before self vs non-self recognition occurred in immune ontogeny) laid the foundations for the goal of establishing donor-specific tolerance in human organ transplantation. However, it was not until the late 1970s that it was first observed that multiple nonspecific and subsequently donor-specific blood transfusions in humans often led to an improved allograft acceptance in kidney transplant recipients. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that postor peri-transplant infusion of donor bone marrow cells together with T cell depletion prolonged and sometimes brought about indefinite allograft survival in adult murine, canine and primate recipients in the absence of chronic immunosuppression. These observations have for the most part been associated with the development of chimerism, but a cause and effect relationship has been the subject of controversy. The first clinical attempt to use donor bone marrow cells in human solid organ transplantation was that of Monaco et al in kidney transplants performed in Boston with concomitant polyclonal anti-lymphocyte globulin induction therapy. Subsequently, Barber et al in Alabama reported initial encouraging results in kidney transplant recipients who also received iliac crest bone marrow from human cadaver donors. Cyclosporine, azathioprine, and steroid-based maintenance therapy together with an induction course of polyclonal antilymphocyte globulin was used. There was some improvement in short-term graft survival with fewer rejection episodes.
The Allocation of Federal Aid Monies: The Synthesis of Demand-Side and Supply-Side Explanations

Previous research on the distribution of federal aid monies has been dominated by the donor's perspective. Different distribution formulas, political influence of congressional representatives, bureaucrats, and individual aid recipients have been studied as the sole determinants of aid allocations. Each explanation, however, fails to examine the question of aid allocations from a demand-side perspective. This omission assumes that all governmental units are equally desirous of federal assistance and that any bias in the distribution of federal aid is a function of supply-side conditions. Identifying a linkage between demand-side and supply-side determinants of aid allocations, this article proposes and tests hypotheses derived from an integrated model of federal aid allocations.
Impact of Valve Plate Design on Noise, Volumetric Efficiency and Control Effort in an Axial Piston Pump

In designing an axial piston pump, lot of attention is given to the design of the valve plate. A well designed valve plate can reduce both flow pulsations as well as oscillating forces on the swash plate. In the presented study, a computational tool, CASPAR, has been used for investigating the effect of valve plate design on flow ripple (fluid borne noise), oscillating forces (structure borne noise) and volumetric efficiency. The impact of various valve plate design parameters such as precompression grooves, cross port, indexing and additional precompression volume will be presented using simulation results from CASPAR. The study also details how rate of pressurization and decompression inside the displacement chamber directly relate to the flow ripple, forces applied on swash plate and the control effort needed to stroke the swash plate. The effect of noise reduction techniques on volumetric efficiency will also be presented with simulated results.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Fluid/Structure Interaction Modeling of Helicopters Using the Navier-Stokes Equations

A time-accurate procedure to model fluid/structure interactions of helicopter blades is presented. The Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with the one-equation Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model are used to compute the flow. Structural dynamics is modeled using the modal equations. The aerodynamic and structural dynamic equations are coupled time-accurately using the linear acceleration method of Newmark direct integration scheme. Effects of time accuracy on the computed results are investigated. Results are compared with experimental data for a full rotor blade system. Nomenclature
Structural and Spectroscopic Characterization of a High‐Spin {FeNO}6 Complex with an Iron(IV)−NO− Electronic Structure

Although the interaction of low-spin ferric complexes with nitric oxide has been well studied, examples of stable high-spin ferric nitrosyls (such as those that could be expected to form at typical non-heme iron sites in biology) are extremely rare. Using the TMG3 tren co-ligand, we have prepared a high-spin ferric NO adduct ({FeNO}(6) complex) via electrochemical or chemical oxidation of the corresponding high-spin ferrous NO {FeNO}(7) complex. The {FeNO}(6) compound is characterized by UV/Visible and IR spectroelectrochemistry, Mossbauer and NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and DFT calculations. The data show that its electronic structure is best described as a high-spin iron(IV) center bound to a triplet NO(-) ligand with a very covalent iron-NO bond. This finding demonstrates that this high-spin iron nitrosyl compound undergoes iron-centered redox chemistry, leading to fundamentally different properties than corresponding low-spin compounds, which undergo NO-centered redox transformations.
Standardizing of Pathology in Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

The use of neoadjuvant systemic therapy for the treatment of breast cancer patients is increasing. Pathologic response in the form of pathologic complete response (pCR) and grading systems of partial response, such as the residual cancer burden (RCB) system, gives valuable prognostic information for patients and is used as a primary endpoint in clinical trials. The breast cancer and pathology communities are responding with efforts to standardize pathology in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In this review, we summarize the challenges that postneoadjuvant systemic therapy surgical specimens pose and how pathologists and the multidisciplinary team can work together to optimize handling of these specimens. Multidisciplinary communication is essential. A single, standardized approach to macroscopic and microscopic pathologic examination makes it possible to provide reliable response information. This approach employs a map of tissue sections to correlate clinical, gross, microscopic, and imaging findings in order to report the presence of pCR (ypT0 ypN0 and ypT0/is ypN0) versus residual disease, the ypT and ypN stage using the current AJCC/UICC staging system, and the RCB.
Persistence of Minimal Residual Disease Assessed By Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometry (MFC) at 30 and 90 Days after Achieving Complete Remission Predicts Outcome in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract Purpose – To determine the value of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) assessed by Multi-parameter Flow Cytometry (MFC) after achieving initial response to therapy, in predicting outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Methods – We investigated the predictive value of MRD assessment by MFC in 191 patients with newly diagnosed AML treated between February 2010 and April 2014 at our institution who had available MRD assessment. MRD by MFC was assessed using an 8-color panel containing 19 distinct markers, on bone marrow specimens obtained at the time of achievement of CR and at approximately 30 days and 90 days after achieving CR. Residual leukemic blasts were identified based on phenotypic differences from normal myelomonocytic precursors. Sensitivity was estimated at 0.1% in most cases, with maximum achievable sensitivity of 0.01%, depending on the leukemic phenotype. Results – Of the 191 patients, 167 (87%) achieved complete remission (CR) or CR without platelet recovery (CRp). Their median age was 58 years (Range, 17-85). 84 (44%) were older than 60 years. Median WBC at presentation was 3.2 x 109/L(Range, 0.5-100.2 x 109/L) and median bone marrow blast percentage was 43% (Range, 11-96%). Cytogenetics was favorable risk in 4 (2%), intermediate risk in130 (68%) and adverse risk in 57 (30%). Treatment included cytarabine plus anthracycline in 170 (89%) and hypomethylating agents-based strategies in 21 (11%). 48 patients had available samples at 30 days post CR and 32 (67%) became MRD negative. Achieving MRD negative status was associated with a statistically significant improvement in CR duration (p=0.02) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.0005). 56 patients were evaluated for MRD status at 90 days and 45 (80%) were negative. Again, achieving MRD negative status was associated with a significant improvement in CR duration (p=0.002) and OS (p=0.0009). Conclusion – Achieving MRD negative status by MFC at 30 and 90 days post CR is associated with an improved outcome in patients with AML Download : Download high-res image (75KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Download : Download high-res image (71KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 2 . Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Large soft-tissue masses in an adult patient with Gaucher disease

Extra-osseous masses are rarely seen in Gaucher disease. Here we present a case of a 30-year-old patient with Gaucher disease type 3, receiving β-glucocerebrosidase enzyme replacement therapy, who presented with slowly enlarging masses along her back. There was no osseous extension seen on imaging. Biopsy of the mass ultimately showed extensive soft tissue infiltration by Gaucher cells. No other cases of soft-tissue masses of this extent have been described in the literature, and therefore management remains unclear.
Taxonomic revision of the New World genus Callotillus Wolcott (Cleridae, Tillinae), with the description of the new genus Neocallotillus, and an illustrated key of identification to species.

Citation: Burke AF, Zolnerowich G (2016) Taxonomic revision of the New World genus Callotillus Wolcott (Cleridae, Tillinae), with the description of the new genus Neocallotillus, and an illustrated key of identification to species. ZooKeys 617: 65–89. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.617.9970
Neural correlates of preserved facial affect perception in high functioning schizophrenia

Individuals with 'high functioning' schizophrenia (HF-SCZ) may have preserved facial affect perception (FAP) compared to individuals with 'low functioning' schizophrenia (LF-SCZ). The neural mechanisms supporting preserved FAP in HF-SCZ have yet to be evaluated. This study compared brain activation during FAP performance in HF-SCZ, LF-SCZ, and controls. Results demonstrated greater activation in the precuneus in CON compared to both SCZ groups, while HF-SCZ activated this region intermediate to controls and LF-SCZ. These preliminary findings suggest greater precuneus activation may be related to preserved FAP in HF-SCZ compared to LF-SCZ, though future research is needed to further evaluate differences between groups.
Diabetes-induced oxidative stress mediates upregulation of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway and hypercontractility of gastric smooth muscle

The pathogenesis of diabetes-associated motility disorders are multifactorial and attributed to abnormalities in extrinsic and intrinsic innervation, and a decrease in the number of interstitial cells of Cajal, and nNOS expression and activity. Here we studied the effect of hyperglycemia on smooth muscle function. Using smooth muscles from the fundus of ob/ob mice and of wild type (WT) mice treated with 30 mM glucose (HG), we identified the molecular mechanism by which hyperglycemia upregulates RhoA/Rho kinase pathway and muscle contraction. RhoA expression, Rho kinase activity and muscle contraction were increased, while miR-133a expression was decreased in smooth muscle of ob/ob mice and in smooth muscle treated with HG. Intraperitoneal injections of pre-miR-133a decreased RhoA expression in WT mice and reversed the increase in RhoA expression in ob/ob mice. Intraperitoneal injections of antagomiR-133a increased RhoA expression in WT mice and augmented the increase in RhoA expression in ob/ob mice. The effect of pre-miR-133a or antagomiR-133a in vitro in smooth muscle treated with HG was similar to that obtained in vivo, suggesting that the expression of RhoA is negatively regulated by miR-133a and a decrease in miR-133a expression in diabetes causes an increase in RhoA expression. Oxidative stress (levels of reactive oxygen species and hydrogen peroxide, and expression of superoxide dismutase 1 and NADPH oxidase 4) was increased in smooth muscle of ob/ob mice and in HG-treated smooth muscle. Treatment of ob/ob mice with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in vivo or addition of NAC in vitro to HG-treated smooth muscle reversed the effect of glucose on the expression of miR-133a and RhoA, Rho kinase activity and muscle contraction. NAC treatment also reversed the decrease in gastric emptying in ob/ob mice. We conclude that oxidative stress in diabetes causes a decrease in miR-133a expression leading to an increase in RhoA/Rho kinase pathway and muscle contraction.
Neural EGF-like protein 1 (NELL-1): Signaling crosstalk in mesenchymal stem cells and applications in regenerative medicine

Bone tissue regeneration holds the potential to solve both osteoporosis and large skeletal defects, two problems associated with significant morbidity. The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into the osteogenic lineage requires a specific microenvironment and certain osteogenic growth factors. Neural EGF Like-Like molecule 1 (NELL-1) is a secreted glycoprotein that has proven, both in vitro and in vivo, to be a potent osteo-inductive factor. Furthermore, it has been shown to repress adipogenic differentiation and inflammation. NELL-1 can work synergistically with other osteogenic factors such as Bone Morphogenic Protein (BMP) -2 and -9, and has shown promise for use in tissue engineering and as a systemically administered drug for the treatment of osteoporosis. Here we provide a comprehensive up-to-date review on the molecular signaling cascade of NELL-1 in mesenchymal stem cells and potential applications in bone regenerative engineering.
Understanding Performance Interference Benchmarking and Application Profiling Techniques for Cloud-hosted Latency-Sensitive Applications

Modern data centers are composed of heterogeneous servers with different architectures, processor counts, number of cores and speed. They also exhibit variability in memory speed and size, storage type and size and network connectivity. In addition, the servers are multi-tenant, often hosting latency sensitive applications in addition to the traditional batch processing applications. To provide bounded and predictable latencies, it is necessary for the cloud providers to understand the performance interplay among the co-hosted applications. To that end, we present our integrated and extensible framework called INDICES for users to conduct a variety of performance benchmarking experiments on multi-tenant servers. The framework also performs centralized data collection for a range of resource usage and application performance statistics in order to model the performance interference and estimate the execution times for the cloud hosted applications.
Predicting hemodialysis mortality utilizing blood pressure trends.

BACKGROUND Mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) is a predictor of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The hypothesis is that transforming SBP measurements to reflect trends would improve the quality of predictions. METHOD Data consisted of 4,500 patients from a dialysis provider in the US with at least six months follow-up. Relative Difference in Percentage yielded six transformed variables, representing SBP trends. Models were constructed using Support Vector Machine (SVM). RESULTS were compared to a baseline model utilizing six-month mean SBP. All models included age, gender, race, diabetes, vintage, and BMI. Pooling of repeated observations incorporated all repeated observations in a generalized person-month approach. RESULTS The AUC for the model using transformed variables on unseen data was 0.70, compared to 0.63 for the baseline model (p<0.00001). The AUC was 0.69 when modeling a pooled data set. CONCLUSION The use of SBP trends significantly improved mortality prediction in HD patients.
IMPACT OF LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION BETWEEN 50 AND 60% VERSUS ≥60% ON MORTALITY AFTER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT FOR SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is a major prognostic indicator for the outcome of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS). Currently, LVEF of 50% is defined as low normal for AS. However, a clear cut off value of LVEF related to the best outcome after
Quinua, Chenopodium quinua (Willd.) en Colombia Caracterización de granulos de almidón nativo de quinua por IR-ATR, MEB, DRX

This article explores the starch granules contained in grain-seeds of quinoa grown in Colombia, it is also providing information on the characteristics of starch by ATR-IR, SEM and XRD, enabling two aspects, on the one hand, to define the potential of use of starch in different industries, and also aspects of cultivation, harvesting, post-harvest and commercialization of quinoa that is sold in Colombia.
Aid, Conditionality, and Debt in Africa

The years since the early 1980s have seen an exhaustive, and exhausting, debate on foreign aid, conditionality and debt. The post-WWII consensus on aid flows to fill the investment-savings ‘gap’ in the less developed countries has collapsed, under attack from both the political right and the political left. Closely tied in to this debate were the disagreements on conditionality, and on debt. The Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s launched the arguments for and against debt relief with different degrees of conditionalityboth for the debt relief and for subsequent new flows. But it is in Africa that the current debate finds its centre of gravity. Despite massive foreign aid, with inflows far exceeding debt servicing outflows, and despite much resented conditionality on this aid, Africa has failed to achieve significant progress in the wellbeing of its population. Some lay the blame on Africa’s foreign debt burden. Others on conditionality. But on conditionality, there seems to be a three-cornered fight: between those who believe aid conditionality would work if only it were targeted towards the opening up of markets and rolling back the frontiers of the state, those who believe it would work if only it were targeted towards better allocation of public expenditure and programmes toward the poor, and those who believe that the carrot and stick of aid is powerless in the medium term to shift the domestic political equilibrium in a direction other than the one in which it wants to go.
Phases and Phase Changes of Clusters

Phase-like forms are expected to be observable for many kinds of clusters, insofar as they should satisfy criteria used to characterize phases of bulk form. However clusters are also expected to exhibit phase-like forms that do not have direct counterparts in bulk matter, and the equilibrium and transformations among these forms can be quite different from their bulk limits, even for such forms as crystalline solids and homogeneous liquids. This article reviews the nature of these phase-like forms, the kind of equilibrium behavior they show, and the phase diagrams that can be constructed for large clusters.
Perspectives on Percussive Foraging in the Aye-Aye (Daubentonia Madagascariensis)

In 1858 Richard Owen learned that H.M. Sandwith would be traveling to Mauritius as the new Colonial Secretary. He urged Sandwith to visit neighboring Madagascar and bring back an aye-aye, dead or alive. Eventually the British Museum was to receive its specimen “immersed in a keg of colourless spirit” but not before Sandwith had examined the behavior of this peculiar animal in considerable detail. In March of 1859 he wrote to Owen of his observations: “......bending forward his ears, and applying his nose close to the bark, he rapidly tapped the surface with the curious second (sic) digit, as a Woodpecker taps a tree, though with much less noise, from time to time inserting the slender finger into the wormholes as a surgeon would a probe.....I watched these proceedings with intense interest, and was much struck with the marvellous adaptation of the creature to its habits, shown by his acute hearing, which enables him aptly to distinguish the different tones emitted from the wood by his gentle tapping; his evidently acute sense of smell, aiding him in his search; ....the curious slender finger, unlike that of any other animal... he used alternately as a pleximeter, a probe, and a scoop.” (Owen, 1866; p. 38).
Apoptosis and survival in high-grade astrocytomas as related to tumor Fas (APO-1/CD95) expression.

Although a majority of high-grade gliomas express the apoptosis-inducing receptor Fas, little is known about the extent of apoptosis or prognostic significance of Fas expression in these tumors. In situ labeling of apoptotic cells and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry were performed on 51 high-grade human astrocytomas previously characterized for Fas expression. Survival data was compiled from patient records and correlated with tumor grade, apoptotic index (AI) and Fas expression. A significant correlation was found between tumor grade and the AI and Ki-67 labeling index (LI); however, only the AI increased significantly with Fas expression. The AI increased from 0.39 ± 0.12% to 0.82 ± 0.10% in grade III vs. IV astrocytomas (P = 0.003). The Ki-67-LI increased from 3.64 ± 1.5% to 11.35 ± 2.1% in grade III vs. IV astrocytomas (P = 0.004). Additionally, tumors expressing higher Fas levels had a greater AI than those expressing lower levels (0.81 ± 0.11% vs. 0.43 ± 0.11%) (P = 0.017). Despite longer median survivals for patients with tumors exhibiting high Fas expression, statistical significance was not achieved. Patients with grade III astrocytomas demonstrated a median survival of 20 vs. 18 months for tumors with high vs. low Fas expression (P = 0.51). Patients with grade IV astrocytomas demonstrated a median survival of 9 vs. 7.4 months for tumors with high vs. low Fas expression, respectively (P = 0.77). Although the degree of Fas expression in high-grade astrocytomas appears to correlate with the apoptotic rate, no overall differences in survival could be demonstrated between tumors expressing high vs. low Fas levels.
The role of the dark triad in perceptions of academic incivility

Abstract Academic incivility is defined as behavior incongruent with the welfare of the classroom community and may take a number of forms and levels of intensity. This study seeks to determine the relationship between the Dark Triad personalities (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and perceptions of appropriateness and frequency of academic incivilities. A sample of 519 university students indicated the degree to which each of 20 uncivil academic behaviors was perceived appropriate and how often students perceived those behaviors in the classroom. Factor analysis of the academic incivilities produced six factors: Low Class Engagement, Poor Class Presence, Student Retaliation, Cheating, Class Disruption, and Attempted Domination. Hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that Machiavellianism, and to a lesser extent, narcissism, predicted both perceptions that academic incivilities were appropriate and the frequency of observations of incivilities. Psychopathy had no relationship with either perceptions of appropriateness or frequency of observation.
Introduction to Symplectic Geometry and Fukaya Category

We give a brief introduction to symplectic manifolds and Fukaya Category in this manuscript.
Violent interpersonal trauma predicts aggressive thoughts and behaviors towards self and others: findings from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relation between adolescent traumatic event exposure and aggression directed towards the self and others. Theoretical perspectives underscore the particularly pernicious effects of violent traumas intentionally perpetrated by others in terms of negative posttraumatic outcomes. However, a careful comparison of trauma type in relation to aggression has not been done with youth. The current project, therefore, examined differences between youth with a history of violent interpersonal trauma (VIT) compared to those with a non-violent trauma type history in terms of aggressive behavior directed towards others as well as aggressive self-directed thoughts (suicidal ideation). The sample was drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication and consisted of 1928 adolescents (M = 15.4; SD = 1.47 years), each assigned to one of four age- and gender-matched trauma history groups. Consistent with hypotheses, among trauma-exposed youth, those who had experienced or witnessed a VIT (compared to those reporting a non-VIT only) evidenced elevated aggression, even after controlling for a number of theoretically relevant covariates (e.g., gender, age, household income, demographic factors). Results indicate that youth with a history of VIT may be at unique risk for experiencing aggression directed towards others and the self compared to those without this specific trauma history. This is important because trauma type is an easily assessed indicator of potentially elevated risk for these types of deleterious outcomes. Findings are situated in a research agenda aimed at continuing to refine our understanding of the link between interpersonal trauma and aggression.
Meiotic Drive and the Survival Probability of Newly Inverted Chromosomes

When a new gene arrangement is generated by spontaneous mutation its survival is uncertain and largely unaffected by associated fitness effects. However, if a new chromosomal inversion is introduced into a population already polymorphic for inversions, then its survival probability will be a function of the relative size, position, and linkage phase of the gene rearrangements. This dependence on structural features is due to the complex meiotic behavior of overlapping inversions generating asymmetric dyads, which in turn cause both underdominance and meiotic drive/drag. Therefore, survival probabilities of new inversions can be expressed in terms of the probability of forming an asymmetric dyad via crossing over in meiosis I and the probability of recovery from that asymmetric dyad during disjunction in meiosis II. This model of female meiotic drive was parameterized with data from published experiments on laboratory constructs in Drosophila melanogaster. Generalizing this analysis to all possible inversions predicts a bias towards larger, proximally located inversions having a shorter persistence time in populations. These population genetic predictions are consistent with cytological evidence from natural populations of D. melanogaster. This research mathematically formalizes a cytogenetic mechanism for female meiotic drive/drag as the major force governing behavior of new gene arrangements entering populations, and therefore determining the genomic distribution of segregating inversion polymorphism.
Relations between language skills and problem behaviour in preschool children

The purpose of the study was to explore whether gender or ethnicity moderated the links between language skills and teacher ratings of problem behaviour and between language and social skills in 38...
Developing sport team captains as formal leaders

AbstractWithin the context of sport, team captains are often relied on to fulfill formal leadership roles. However, there is a lack of empirically-informed resources to help sport coaches develop t...
Mitohormesis Primes Tumor Invasion and Metastasis.

Summary Moderate mitochondrial stress can lead to persistent activation of cytoprotective mechanisms – a phenomenon termed mitohormesis. Here, we show that mitohormesis primes a subpopulation of cancer cells to basally upregulate mitochondrial stress responses, such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) providing an adaptive metastatic advantage. In this subpopulation, UPRmt activation persists in the absence of stress, resulting in reduced oxidative stress indicative of mitohormesis. Mechanistically, we showed that the SIRT3 axis of UPRmt is necessary for invasion and metastasis. In breast cancer patients, a 7-gene UPRmt signature demonstrated that UPRmt-HIGH patients have significantly worse clinical outcomes, including metastasis. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that UPRmt-HIGH patients have expression profiles characterized by metastatic programs and the cytoprotective outcomes of mitohormesis. While mitohormesis is associated with health and longevity in non-pathological settings, these results indicate that it is perniciously used by cancer cells to promote tumor progression.
Democratizing access to survey evidence of distinctiveness

Under US law, a trademark is distinctive, and therefore valid and protectable, if it is “capable of identifying products or services as coming from a specific source.” Some marks are treated as inherently distinctive, and protected from their first use, based on presumptions about how consumers will interpret the relationship between the mark selected and the goods or services offered. Other marks are not inherently distinctive and therefore must acquire distinctiveness in the eyes of consumers. US courts consider the distinctiveness of marks by categorizing them along a spectrum famously articulated in Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World, Inc. Consumer perception is critically important to assessing trademark validity and scope. But many inaccurate presumptions about consumer perception are baked into courts’ categorization of trademarks along the Abercrombie spectrum. Failing to properly account for how consumers understand and use trademarks can distort commercial markets. Courts and trademark examiners might thus prefer litigants to present better evidence of whether consumers see a given mark as distinctive and source signifying. Consumer surveys provide evidence of distinctiveness on which courts frequently rely. Unfortunately, the costs of conducting a trademark survey have historically been high enough to discourage many mark owners from offering survey evidence of consumer perception. Well-heeled litigants can fund surveys, but those with a smaller war chest cannot. But as new platforms lower the costs of finding survey respondents, we may see a democratizing effect as more litigants can afford to conduct surveys. For example, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) provides access to a constantly rotating panel of potential survey respondents. Psychology and marketing professors are utilizing MTurk with increasing frequency, in large part due to the platform’s convenience and affordability. But trademark litigants appear not to be taking advantage of the platform. This chapter argues that litigants could use MTurk to generate consumer trademark surveys at significant cost savings, and that US courts and the United States Patent and Trademark Office should admit properly conducted MTurk surveys into evidence. Unfortunately, cheaper surveys will not fully democratize the use of survey evidence. The costs of finding survey participants pale in comparison to the costs of hiring experts to conduct and interpret survey evidence. If courts are to consider evidence of distinctiveness from a consumer perspective, the market for trademark expertise may be overdue for some disruption. This chapter thus also argues that US trademark litigants should be able to rely on more reasonably priced providers of survey expertise because testimony from less highly credentialed experts should still be admissible under US evidentiary standards.
PREOPERATIVE IMAGING PARAMETERS AND EARLY POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common form of cyanotic congenital heart disease with the majority of patients requiring additional surgical interventions in adulthood. We examined preoperative imaging in adult TOF patients to identify factors impacting early postoperative morbidity and
Detecting an Effect of Group Size on Individual Responses to Neighboring Groups in Gray-Cheeked Mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena)

Evolutionary game theory posits that competitive ability affects the initiation of conflicts. When contests occur among groups, competitive ability is generally measured as the size of the group and larger groups are expected to win against smaller groups. However, in some cases, individual participation during intergroup conflicts appears unaffected by competitive ability. To test whether these instances might be due to an unduly strict definition of participation, I re-evaluate the responses of gray-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) to the calls of real and simulated neighboring groups. In contrast with previous analyses, I consider multiple measures of group size, treat movement responses as a continuous variable, and evaluate individual responses (N = 201 focal follows). Males made stronger approaches toward calling neighbors than females, though both sexes tended to retreat from groups that were <500 m away and to approach more distant neighbors. Individuals in small groups retreated while those in large groups both approached and retreated. There was no evidence of a collective action problem: in fact, approaches were more likely within large groups than small groups, and approaches were stronger when at least one other individual within the focal group made a dramatic approach toward the caller. The absence of a group size effect is attributable to coarse methods in some contexts and to a stronger effect of collective behavior or resource-related motivation in other contexts.
InAlN/GaN HEMT on Si With fmax = 270 GHz

Device surface properties are critical for its performance such as channel electron density, leakage current, subthreshold swing (SS), and noise in gallium nitride high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). In this article, the improved surface property of InAlN/GaN HEMTs with forming gas (FG, 5% H2, and 95% N2) annealing is demonstrated. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) show that the number of Ga–O bonds decreases while that of the Ga–N bonds increases, an indication of the surface native oxide removal after FG annealing. Compared with N2 annealing, an increase of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) electron density with FG annealing is determined by both energy band simulation and capacitance–voltage measurement. Transmission line measurement (TLM) shows that N2 annealing offers a lower ohmic contact resistance ( ${R}_{\text {C}}$ ) while FG annealing features a lower sheet resistance ( ${R}_{\text {sheet}}$ ). Herein, a FG/N2 two-step ohmic contact annealing is developed to achieve a SS of 110 mV/dec, a transconductance ( ${g}_{\text {m}}$ ) peak of 415 mS/mm, a record low drain-induced barrier lowing (DIBL) of 65 mV/V, and a record high power gain cutoff frequency ( ${f}_{\text {max}}$ ) of 270 GHz on a 50-nm InAlN/GaN HEMT on Si.
Cardiopulmonary Effects of Positive End Expiratory Pressure

Summary In summarizing the cardiovascular effects of PEEP, it appears that preload limitation of the left ventricle appears to be the major cause of a deterioration in cardiac output.50,53 Assuming that preload can be restored to control values, cardiac output appears to be maintained, even at the highest levels of PEEP.33
Single cell transcriptomics reveals lineage trajectory of retinal ganglion cells in wild-type and Atoh7-null retinas.

Atoh7 has been believed to be essential for establishing the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) lineage, and Pou4f2 and Isl1 are known to regulate RGC specification and differentiation. Here we report our further study of the roles of these transcription factors. Using bulk RNA-seq, we identify genes regulated by the three transcription factors, which expand our understanding of the scope of downstream events. Using scRNA-seq on wild-type and mutant retinal cells, we reveal a transitional cell state of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) co-marked by Atoh7 and other genes for different lineages and shared by all early retinal lineages. We further discover the unexpected emergence of the RGC lineage in the absence of Atoh7. We conclude that competence of RPCs for different retinal fates is defined by lineage-specific genes co-expressed in the transitional state and that Atoh7 defines the RGC competence and collaborates with other factors to shepherd transitional RPCs to the RGC lineage. Atoh7 is essential for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) genesis. Here the authors perform scRNAseq on embryonic mouse retina and conclude that Atoh7 defines a transitional state and that other factors also participate in establishing the RGC lineage.
Simulating energy transfer dynamics in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex via the modified generalized quantum master equation.

The generalized quantum master equation (GQME) provides a general and formally exact framework for simulating the reduced dynamics of open quantum systems. The recently introduced modified approach to the GQME (M-GQME) corresponds to a specific implementation of the GQME that is geared toward simulating the dynamics of the electronic reduced density matrix in systems governed by an excitonic Hamiltonian. Such a Hamiltonian, which is often used for describing energy and charge transfer dynamics in complex molecular systems, is given in terms of diabatic electronic states that are coupled to each other and correspond to different nuclear Hamiltonians. Within the M-GQME approach, the effect of the nuclear degrees of freedom on the time evolution of the electronic density matrix is fully captured by a memory kernel superoperator, which can be obtained from short-lived (compared to the time scale of energy/charge transfer) projection-free inputs. In this paper, we test the ability of the M-GQME to predict the energy transfer dynamics within a seven-state benchmark model of the Fenna–Matthews–Olson (FMO) complex, with the short-lived projection-free inputs obtained via the Ehrenfest method. The M-GQME with Ehrenfest-based inputs is shown to yield accurate results across a wide parameter range. It is also found to dramatically outperform the direct application of the Ehrenfest method and to provide better-behaved convergence with respect to memory time in comparison to an alternative implementation of the GQME approach previously applied to the same FMO model.