cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of prolonged cortisol administration on the serum haemolytic activity of Atlantic salmon

Abstract The spontaneous serum haemolytic activity against trinitrophenyl-labelled sheep red blood cells was found to decline in adult Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar , that were implanted with cortisol-containing vegetable shortening. Fish that were implanted for 3 days demonstrated no significant decline in mean serum haemolytic ability. A significant decrease in haemolysis titre occurred in fish that were implanted with cortisol for 10 days and strongly correlated with individual fish cortisol levels. A further significant decrease occurred in fish that were implanted with cortisol for 17 days of which 63% demonstrated fungal lesions. Fish with long term implants had a similar incidence of fungal infection as well as increased mortality. The haemolytic activity of fish sera may be an important indicator of immunocompetence involving opportunistic pathogens such as fungi. The potential use of serum haemolytic activity as a biological indicator of chronic stress is discussed.
KCNQ1, KCNE2, and Na(+)-coupled solute transporters form reciprocally regulating complexes that affect neuronal excitability

Na(+)-coupled solute transport is crucial for the uptake of nutrients and metabolic precursors, such as myo-inositol, an important osmolyte and precursor for various cell signaling molecules. We found that various solute transporters and potassium channel subunits formed complexes and reciprocally regulated each other in vitro and in vivo. Global metabolite profiling revealed that mice lacking KCNE2, a K(+) channel β subunit, showed a reduction in myo-inositol concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) but not in serum. Increased behavioral responsiveness to stress and seizure susceptibility in Kcne2(-/-) mice were alleviated by injections of myo-inositol. Suspecting a defect in myo-inositol transport, we found that KCNE2 and KCNQ1, a voltage-gated potassium channel α subunit, colocalized and coimmunoprecipitated with SMIT1, a Na(+)-coupled myo-inositol transporter, in the choroid plexus epithelium. Heterologous coexpression demonstrated that myo-inositol transport by SMIT1 was augmented by coexpression of KCNQ1 but was inhibited by coexpression of both KCNQ1 and KCNE2, which form a constitutively active, heteromeric K(+) channel. SMIT1 and the related transporter SMIT2 were also inhibited by a constitutively active mutant form of KCNQ1. The activities of KCNQ1 and KCNQ1-KCNE2 were augmented by SMIT1 and the glucose transporter SGLT1 but were suppressed by SMIT2. Channel-transporter signaling complexes may be a widespread mechanism to facilitate solute transport and electrochemical crosstalk.
On the Nature, Formation, and Maintenance of Relations Among Organizations

A relationship between two or more organizations is a social action system because it exhibits the basic properties of any organized form of collective behavior. Dimensions commonly used to examine social structure and process are appropriate for defining and evaluating the characteristics of inter-organizational relationships. A theory is developed on how and why relationships between organizations voluntarily emerge and are maintained.
Hydrologic Data Collection via Geostationary Satellite

The river and flood forecast and warning service of the National Weather Service depends on meteorological data and a vast hydrologic reporting network of nearly 5000 river and rainfall stations. Reports are collected daily or on a criteria basis during periods of heavy rainfall and/or high flow in the rivers. Less than 15 percent of the hydrologic network is telemetered. Although most of the observations are recorded automatically on site, an observer must telephone the report to a data collection center for relay to one of the twelve National Weather Service River Forecast Centers. In 1967-1969, an experiment in river and rainfall data collection via NASA's ATS-1 satellite was conducted. The technical and operational feasibility of data collection from remote sites via satellite was proved in the test. NASA will launch for NOAA in 1973 the first in a planned series of geostationary operational environmental satellites (GOES). In conjunction with this, a prototype network is scheduled for installation in the Columbia Basin of the Pacific northwest. This system could form the basis for a national data collection system to serve the nation's water resources users. During the next decade, it is anticipated that the hydrologic data collection network will double in order to satisfy river and flood forecast service needs placed upon the National Weather Service. GOES, with its continuous data collection and relay function, holds promise for providing a life-saving and economic space-age benefit.
Identity Politics Among Arab‐American Women*

Objective. Identity politics has dominated contemporary analyses of protest movements. Although multiple identities are commonplace, progress in delineating their empirical relationship has been slow. This article examines the relationships among ethnic and religious identities and feminist orientations among Arab-American women, a group that bridges multiple cultural identities. The primary research question is whether ethnic and religious identities undermine feminism in this population or whether multiple identities are mutually supportive. Methods. Using data from a national mail survey of Arab-American women, regression analyses examine the separate effects of various dimensions of ethnic and religious identity on women's feminist orientations. Results. Arab political identity is positively associated with feminism while religious and feminist identities are inversely related. The effects of ethnic cultural identity and Muslim affiliation are negligible. Conclusions. This study finds a complex pattern of relationships among multiple identities and underscores the underlying political dynamic linking group identities.
Gene copy-number polymorphism in nature

Differences between individuals in the copy-number of whole genes have been found in every multicellular species examined thus far. Such differences result in unique complements of protein-coding genes in all individuals, and have been shown to underlie adaptive phenotypic differences. Here, we review the evidence for copy-number variants (CNVs), focusing on the methods used to detect them and the molecular mechanisms responsible for generating this type of variation. Although there are multiple technical and computational challenges inherent to these experimental methods, next-generation sequencing technologies are making such experiments accessible in any system with a sequenced genome. We further discuss the connection between copy-number variation within species and copy-number divergence between species, showing that these values are exactly what one would expect from similar comparisons of nucleotide polymorphism and divergence. We conclude by reviewing the growing body of evidence for natural selection on copy-number variants. While it appears that most genic CNVs—especially deletions—are quickly eliminated by selection, there are now multiple studies demonstrating a strong link between copy-number differences at specific genes and phenotypic differences in adaptive traits. We argue that a complete understanding of the molecular basis for adaptive natural selection necessarily includes the study of copy-number variation.
A weight vector solution of the feedback adaptive line enhancer

The feedback adaptive line enhancer is analyzed, and a closed-form solution is derived for the case where the decorrelation delay is one sample and the filter length is an integer multiple of half cycles of the input sinusoid. The resulting weight vector has a sinusoidal profile but with higher mean amplitude than an equal-order adaptive line enhancer.
Parent–offspring conflicts, “optimal bad motherhood” and the “mother knows best” principles in insect herbivores colonizing novel host plants

Specialization of insect herbivores to one or a few host plants stimulated the development of two hypotheses on how natural selection should shape oviposition preferences: The “mother knows best” principle suggests that females prefer to oviposit on hosts that increase offspring survival. The “optimal bad motherhood” principle predicts that females prefer to oviposit on hosts that increase their own longevity. In insects colonizing novel host plants, current theory predicts that initial preferences of insect herbivores should be maladaptive, leading to ecological traps. Ecological trap theory does not take into account the fact that insect lineages frequently switch hosts at both ecological and evolutionary time scales. Therefore, the behavior of insect herbivores facing novel hosts is also shaped by natural selection. Using a study system in which four Cephaloleia beetles are currently expanding their diets from native to exotic plants in the order Zingiberales, we determined if initial oviposition preferences are conservative, maladaptive, or follow the patterns predicted by the “mother knows best” or the “optimal bad motherhood” principles. Interactions with novel hosts generated parent–offspring conflicts. Larval survival was higher on native hosts. However, adult generally lived longer on novel hosts. In Cephaloleia beetles, oviposition preferences are usually associated with hosts that increase larval survival, female fecundity, and population growth. In most cases, Cephaloleia oviposition preferences follow the expectations of the “mothers knows best” principle.
Automated Continuous Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis: Review of the Literature

Purpose Current devices for mandibular distraction osteogenesis (DO) are complex and require significant patient or family skill during active distraction. Successful development of an automated, continuous distraction device would eliminate the need for patient participation in this process. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively review devices currently in development for continuous DO and to identify and evaluate the achieved successes and remaining problems. Materials and Methods A PubMed search of the English language literature in October 2008 using the keywords automatic or automated or continuous or hydraulic or motor or magnetic or spring and distraction osteogenesis was performed. The search included all technical notes, animal studies, and human studies describing the use of any automated continuous distraction device for the mandible. Excluded were studies using distraction devices employing hydraulics, motors, or springs that did not distract automatically and continuously and devices used for bones other than the mandible. Results The search returned 97 matches. Of these, 12 articles were selected as relevant to this review based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria detailed above. Eight distinct devices for automated, continuous DO were described in these reports and evaluated in this review. These included motor-driven, spring-mediated, and hydraulically powered distractors. Conclusions The abundance of research currently underway to develop a continuous distractor highlights the clinical demand for, and usefulness, of such a device. Despite many advances and promising results, significant problems remain to be overcome before any of these devices gain widespread clinical acceptance.
SQuAVisiT: A Flexible Tool for Visual Software Analytics

We present the Software Quality Assessment and Visualization Toolset (SQuAVisiT), a flexible tool for visual software analytics. Visual software analytics supports analytical reasoning about software systems facilitated by interactive visual interfaces. In particular, SQuAVisiT assists software developers, maintainers and assessors in performing quality assurance and maintenance tasks. Flexibility ofSQuAVisiT allows for integration of multiple programming languages and variety of analysis and visualization tools.SQuAVisiT has been successfully applied in a number of case studies, ranging from hundreds to thousands KLOC,from homogeneous to heterogeneous systems.
The Phonological-Similarity Effect Differentiates Between Two Working Memory Tasks

Working memory is a set of interactive cognitive processes that maintain information on-line and available for analysis. Part of the system is specialized for maintaining verbal information, a core component of which is thought to be a phonological store. On the basis of the study of patients with acquired brain lesions, this store has been localized to the supramarginal and angular gyri of the speech-dominant hemisphere, and some functional neuroimaging studies support this localization. However, other imaging studies localize the phonological store in a more dorsal region of the parietal lobe. To reconcile these findings, we examined the phonological-similarity effect in two different tasks. A phonological-similarity effect was observed only in the task that involved sequential presentation and explicit verbal rehearsal. We conclude that at least one possible source of the differences in brain activation between different working memory tasks may be differences in phonological processing.
Exposure of Cells to a Cell Number-Counting Factor Decreases the Activity of Glucose-6-Phosphatase To Decrease Intracellular Glucose Levels in Dictyostelium discoideum

ABSTRACT The development of Dictyostelium discoideum is a model for tissue size regulation, as these cells form groups of ≈2 × 104 cells. The group size is regulated in part by a negative feedback pathway mediated by a secreted multipolypeptide complex called counting factor (CF). CF signal transduction involves decreasing intracellular CF glucose levels. A component of CF, countin, has the bioactivity of the entire CF complex, and an 8-min exposure of cells to recombinant countin decreases intracellular glucose levels. To understand how CF regulates intracellular glucose, we examined the effect of CF on enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. Exposure of cells to CF has little effect on amylase or glycogen phosphorylase, enzymes involved in glucose production from glycogen. Glucokinase activity (the first specific step of glycolysis) is inhibited by high levels of CF but is not affected by an 8-min exposure to countin. The second enzyme specific for glycolysis, phosphofructokinase, is not regulated by CF. There are two corresponding enzymes in the gluconeogenesis pathway, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase. The first is not regulated by CF or countin, whereas glucose-6-phosphatase is regulated by both CF and an 8-min exposure to countin. The countin-induced changes in the Km and Vmax of glucose-6-phosphatase cause a decrease in glucose production that can account for the countin-induced decrease in intracellular glucose levels. It thus appears that part of the CF signal transduction pathway involves inhibiting the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase, decreasing intracellular glucose levels and affecting the levels of other metabolites, to regulate group size.
Liberal Democracy Series I, 1972-1988: Definition, measurement, and trajectories

The purpose of this paper is to provide the definitional and empirical background to the Liberal Democracy Series I Index of democracy that is available in Bollen (1998) but whose rationale has not been published. More specifically, the paper (1) gives a definition of liberal democracy that has guided the formation of this index, (2) describes measures that correspond to this definition, (3) provides a measurement model that links the indicators of democracy to the latent variables that represent the concept, (4) explains the construction of the Liberal Democracy Series I Index, and (5) compares the Series I democracy measure to two other widely used democracy measures in a latent curve model. The Liberal Democracy Series I Index provides a simple unweighted measure of liberal democracy that minimizes the bias in expert ratings, is highly reliable and highly correlated with the latent liberal democracy variable. The evidenced reviewed here suggests that its measurement properties are superior to the Polity and Vanhanen democracy indices with the exception that it is available for a more limited period of years than these latter two.
Changes in titin isoform expression in pacing-induced cardiac failure give rise to increased passive muscle stiffness.

Background— Titin contains a molecular spring segment that underlies passive myocardial stiffness. Myocardium coexpresses titin isoforms with molecular spring length variants and, consequently, distinct stiffness characteristics: the stiff N2B isoform (short spring) and more compliant N2BA isoform (long spring). We tested whether changes in titin isoform expression occur in the diastolic dysfunction that accompanies heart failure. Methods and Results— We used the tachycardia-induced dilated cardiomyopathy canine model (4-week pacing) and found that control myocardium coexpresses the N2B and N2BA isoforms at similar levels, whereas in dilated cardiomyopathy the expression ratio had shifted, without affecting the amount of total titin, toward more prominent N2B expression. This shift was accompanied by elevated titin-based passive muscle stiffness. Pacing also resulted in significant upregulation of obscurin, an ≈800-kDa elastic protein with several signaling domains. Conclusions— Coexpression of titin isof...
Markdown money contracts for perishable goods with clearance pricing

It is common in practice that retailers liquidate unsold perishable goods via clearance pricing. Markdown money is frequently used between manufacturers and retailers in such a supply chain setting. It is a form of rebate from a manufacturer to subsidize a retailer’s clearance pricing after the regular season. Two forms of markdown money are percent markdown money, in which the markdown money is limited to only a certain percentage of the retail price markdown, and quantity markdown money, which is essentially a buyback contract or returns policy with a rebate credit paid to the retailer for each unsold unit after the regular season. We show both forms of markdown money contracts can coordinate the supply chain and we discuss their strengths and limitations.
Future directions in the development of food-frequency questionnaires

The clear documentation during the last decade that dietary intake can be measured by standardized food-frequency questionnaires has been fundamentally important for understanding the relation between dietary composition and health. Energy-adjusted correlation coefficients comparing nutrients assessed in this manner with those measured by dietary records or recalls have generally been in the range of 0.4-0.7 for a wide variety of populations and with use of questionnaires that have varied greatly in length and detail. The latter finding, however, suggests that major increments in validity are not likely to be obtained by further refinements, although even modest gains are worthy of continued efforts. Additional effort must be given to developing and evaluating questionnaires that extend the range of ages, populations, settings, and dietary factors that are studied. Comparisons with biochemical indicators of intake should be used when possible. Even well-established methods of assessment must be continually modified because of the rapidly changing patterns of food consumption and dietary composition within contemporary populations.
Cognitive correlates of medial temporal lobe development across adolescence: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Adolescent development involves progressive changes in brain structure and cognitive function, but relatively few studies have documented the cognitive correlates of differences in structural brain volumes in this age group. We examined the relations among age, cognitive processing, and mesial temporal lobe volume in 37 children and adolescents. Participants completed a brief cognitive assessment battery and underwent volumetric structural magnetic resonance imaging. For the sample as a whole, amygdala volume correlated positively with age, and larger volumes of both the left and right amygdala were significantly associated with better performance on several cognitive tasks assessing academic skills and acquired knowledge in long-term memory. In contrast, hippocampal volumes did not correlate with adolescents' age and were less frequently correlated with cognitive performance. Amygdala volumes were most predictive of cognitive abilities in boys, whereas for girls, the volume of the hippocampus contributed...
Equivariant K-Theory for Noetherian Rings

A number of results are proved concerning the Quillen ^-theory K+(S*G) of the skew group ring S*G, where S is a Noetherian ring and G is a finite group of automorphisms of 5. Applications are given to the computation of AT-groups of group algebras and of equivariant /^-theory for affine varieties.
Work beyond the bounds: a boundary analysis of the fragmentation of work:

Scholars have examined many different types of labour, including ‘nonmarket’, ‘informal’ and ‘underground’ work. Such studies elucidate the conditions and consequences for workers in these jobs, wh...
The Scientist’s Science Educator: How One Young Physicist’s Life Was Changed by the Example of Robert Karplus

Meeting Robert Karplus and working with him for a decade changed my career and my life. This happened not so much because of what Bob and I did together at the Lawrence Hall of Science, but because he demonstrated to me a possibility I had not known existed: a scientist could treat education as a science, rather than as an art form.
Who Pollutes? A Household-Level Database of America's Greenhouse Gas Footprint

This paper describes the creation of a database providing estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints for 6 million US households over the period 2008-2012. The database allows analysis of footprints for 52 types of consumption (e.g. electricity, gasoline, apparel, beef, air travel, etc.) within and across geographic regions as small as individual census tracts. Potential research applications with respect to carbon pricing and tax policy are discussed. Preliminary analysis reveals:- The top 10% of US polluters are responsible for 25% of the country’s GHG footprint. The least-polluting 40% of the population accounts for only 20% of the total. The average GHG footprint of individuals in the top 2% of the income distribution is more than four times that of those in the bottom quintile.- The highest GHG footprints are found in America’s suburbs, where relatively inefficient housing and transport converge with higher incomes. Rural areas exhibit moderate GHG footprints. High-density urban areas generally exhibit the lowest GHG footprints, but location-specific results are highly dependent on income.- Residents of Republican-held congressional districts have slightly higher average GHG footprints than those in Democratic districts – but the difference is small (21.8 tCO2e/person/year in Republican districts; 20.6 in Democratic). There is little relationship between the strength of a district’s party affiliation and average GHG footprint.
Inspiratory and expiratory patterns of the pectoralis major muscle during pulmonary defensive reflexes

Experiments were conducted to determine the discharge pattern of the pectoralis major muscle during pulmonary defensive reflexes in anesthetized cats (n = 15). Coughs and expiration reflexes were elicited by mechanical stimulation of the intrathoracic trachea or larynx. Augmented breaths occurred spontaneously or were evoked by the same mechanical stimuli. Electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded from the diaphragm, rectus abdominis, and pectoralis major muscles. During augmented breaths, the pectoralis major had inspiratory EMG activity similar to that of the diaphragm, but during expiration reflexes the pectoralis major also had purely expiratory EMG activity similar to the rectus abdominis. During tracheobronchial cough, the pectoralis major had an inspiratory pattern similar to that of the diaphragm in 10 animals, an expiratory pattern similar to that of the rectus abdominis in 3 animals, and a biphasic pattern in 2 animals. The pectoralis major was active during both the inspiratory and expiratory phases during laryngeal cough. We conclude that, in contrast to the diaphragm or rectus abdominis muscles, the pectoralis major is active during both inspiratory and expiratory pulmonary defensive reflexes.
Clinical instrumentation and applications of Raman spectroscopy

Clinical diagnostic devices provide new sources of information that give insight about the state of health which can then be used to manage patient care. These tools can be as simple as an otoscope to better visualize the ear canal or as complex as a wireless capsule endoscope to monitor the gastrointestinal tract. It is with tools such as these that medical practitioners can determine when a patient is healthy and to make an appropriate diagnosis when he/she is not. The goal of diagnostic medicine then is to efficiently determine the presence and cause of disease in order to provide the most appropriate intervention. The earliest form of medical diagnostics relied on the eye - direct visual observation of the interaction of light with the sample. This technique was espoused by Hippocrates in his 5th century BCE work Epidemics, in which the pallor of a patient's skin and the coloring of the bodily fluids could be indicative of health. In the last hundred years, medical diagnosis has moved from relying on visual inspection to relying on numerous technological tools that are based on various types of interaction of the sample with different types of energy - light, ultrasound, radio waves, X-rays etc. Modern advances in science and technology have depended on enhancing technologies for the detection of these interactions for improved visualization of human health. Optical methods have been focused on providing this information in the micron to millimeter scale while ultrasound, X-ray, and radio waves have been key in aiding in the millimeter to centimeter scale. While a few optical technologies have achieved the status of medical instruments, many remain in the research and development phase despite persistent efforts by many researchers in the translation of these methods for clinical care. Of these, Raman spectroscopy has been described as a sensitive method that can provide biochemical information about tissue state while maintaining the capability of delivering this information in real-time, non-invasively, and in an automated manner. This review presents the various instrumentation considerations relevant to the clinical implementation of Raman spectroscopy and reviews a subset of interesting applications that have successfully demonstrated the efficacy of this technique for clinical diagnostics and monitoring in large (n ≥ 50) in vivo human studies.
Thyroid hormone action: down novel paths Focus on “Thyroid hormone induces activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase in cultured cells”

nongenomic actions of thyroid hormone have long been recognized, although the specific targets and mechanisms that mediate these actions have been difficult to demonstrate ([5][1]). The focus of most investigations into thyroid hormone action, however, has been on the nuclear actions of thyroid
Plasma volumes and entrapment of plasma in tissues of normal and insulin-immunized guinea pigs.

SummaryRelative to body weight, the plasma volumes of 60 normal guinea pigs fell from 5.2 to 3.7 ml/100 g body wt as body weight increased from about 600 to 1200 g. Lower values reported by others are attributed to differences in methodology. Slightly higher plasma volumes were found in 37 insulin-immunized guinea pigs. After exsanguination at the time of death, trapped plasma accounted for 10 to 20% of the weights of the livers, kidneys, and spleens, more being trapped when death occurred before exsanguination could be effected.
382 Occupational and genetic risk factors for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN): A case-control study

Objectives The aetiology of a rare category of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), bone marrow diseases with an excess of blood cells, is currently unknown. An MPN cluster in northeastern Pennsylvania allowed investigation of occupational risk factors and gene-environment interactions. Among our hypotheses were risks associated with aromatic and heterocyclic amines. Methods This 2011 population-based case-control study assessed lifetime occupational, residential, smoking and dietary history by telephone interview. Cases (n = 55) were identified from the Pennsylvania cancer registry and a previous MPN study. Controls (n = 473) were selected based on eligibility screening using random digit dialling. People born from 1921−1968 and residing in 3 counties with high incidence of MPN were eligible. Blood samples for genotyping were collected from 31 cases and 292 controls. Results Cases were older (median age = 71 vs 61yrs) and more likely to be male (49% vs 39%) compared to controls but otherwise demographically similar. Ever working in ten employment areas (welding, painting, degreasing, firefighting or working with glue, solvents/inks, pesticides, diesel equipment, animals, or X-rays/radioactive material at the 8 most recent jobs) were not associated with MPN. In analyses that examined the main effects of over 50 environmentally sensitive genes, the presence of NAT2 slow acetylator genotype, GSTM1 gene deletion, and GSTA1 , and GSTM3 variants were associated with an increased risk for MPNs (unadjusted ORs 2.1–3.2, 95% C. I.s excluding 1.0). Results were similar for analyses restricted to JAK2 positive cases. Conclusions No relationship was found with occupations with presumed exposure to aromatic and heterocyclic amines, but our findings suggest that genotypes that modify the toxicity of these exposures may play a role in MPNs. Sources of exposures important to the pathway whereby NAT2 or other genotypes modify the effect of exposures in this population remain unclear and there is ongoing work on refining exposure assessment in the project.
Nanocrystalline Diamond Electrodes: Enabling electrochemical microsensing applications with high reliability and stability

The Diamond (D) is one of the most precious materials in the world with unmatched physical and chemical properties, such as hardness, extreme chemical stability, high thermal conductivity, the highest acoustic velocity of any material, an extremely low friction coefficient when smooth, and nearly unmatched biocompatibility [1]. The carbon (C) atoms in Ds are tetrahedrally coordinated, i.e., each C atom is bonded to four others in the D lattice. This bonding is referred to as sp3 bonding, and the strength and configuration of these bonds provide Ds with these unmatched fundamental properties and characteristics. Realizing these properties of the D in a C-based film that can easily be integrated into functional engineering systems and deployed in many applications has been a challenge for several decades. This is of primary concern in microelectronics, sensing, and hard-coating applications.
PRESENT STATUS OF IR TRANSMITTING FIBERS

The intrinsic multiphonon absorption of silica-based optical fibers limits their use to wavelengths below 2.5um. This paper will explore the types of optical materials and fibers presently under development for operation in the 2 to 15um range.
Flip-Flopping on Darfur with Alberto Palloni and Patricia Parker

It's [the low mortality estimate] a deliberate effort by the Bush Administration to downplay the severity of the crisis in order to reduce the urgency of an additional response. I find that to be disingenuous and perhaps murderous. – John Prendergast, International Crisis Group April 26, 2005 The Atrocities Documentation Survey Documenting Atrocities in Darfur is the title of the eight-page report based on a survey of Darfur refugees in Chad and published by the U.S. Department of State in September 2004. The report's chillingly cogent tables, charts, maps, and pictures – derived from interviews with 1,136 refugees in Chad – speak volumes. Our recording from the Atrocities Documentation Survey (ADS) identified more than 12,000 deaths and many more rapes and atrocities that the respondents personally witnessed or heard about before fleeing. The report opens with a chart listing these statistics: 81 percent reported their village was destroyed. 80 percent reported their livestock was stolen. 67 percent reported witnessing or experiencing aerial bombing. 61 percent reported the killing of a family member. 44 percent reported witnessing or experiencing a shooting. 33 percent reported hearing racial epithets during attacks. Secretary of State Colin Powell made headlines when he presented these findings to the UN Security Council and the U.S. Congress as evidence of Sudanese-sponsored genocide in Darfur.
The Genetics of Febrile Seizures

Publisher Summary The importance of genetic factors in the occurrence of febrile seizures has long been recognized. Population studies have demonstrated that febrile seizures occur at a much higher than expected incidence in first- and second-degree relatives of children with febrile seizures. The literature concerning the genetics of febrile seizures is voluminous and somewhat controversial, but it is generally recognized that the risk of developing febrile seizures is higher in some families than in others. The risk to siblings of probands increases substantially if more than one family member has a history of febrile seizures. Segregation analysis is a technique for determining the mode of transmission of a trait. For families in which the proband has two or more seizures, the evidence for a single major gene increases. In families in which the proband has only a single seizure, the polygenic model cannot be rejected, although other models can be. In common diseases such as febrile seizures, the phenotype–genotype correlation in families is not usually as obvious as in Mendelian diseases such as Huntington's disease.
Orthogonal Plate Fixation With Corrective Osteotomy for Treatment of Distal Radius Fracture Malunion.

Purpose To report outcomes of patients with distal radius fracture malunions treated with corrective osteotomy and orthogonal volar and radial "90-90" plate fixation. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent distal radius corrective osteotomy and 90-90 fixation from January 2008 through December 2014. Demographic data, injury history, prior treatments, and clinical examination values were recorded. Preoperative radiographic measurements were used to classify the type and severity of deformity. The outcomes were patient-reported pain levels, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand ( Quick DASH) functional scores, and radiographic outcomes. Secondary outcomes, including complications and the need for additional surgeries, were also noted. Results Thirty-nine cases (31 extra-articular, 8 combined intra- and extra-articular) were included. At mean postoperative follow-up interval of 4 years, significant improvements were observed clinically in wrist flexion-extension arc, grip strength, pain, and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores. Radiographically, significant postoperative improvements were noted in ulnar variance, radial inclination, intra-articular stepoff, and radial tilt, with volarly and dorsally angulated malunions corrected to 9° and 7° of volar tilt, respectively. Twelve patients (31%) underwent additional surgery, the most common being plate removal in 7 patients, 3 of which involved removal of the radial plate. Conclusions For patients with symptomatic malunion of the distal radius, corrective osteotomy with 90-90 plate fixation is an effective treatment option for improving pain and restoring function for both volarly and dorsally angulated malunions, including malunions with an intra-articular component. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Failure prognosis based on adaptive state space models

This paper presents a generic data-driven failure prognosis method based on adaptive state space models for engineering systems, which integrates adaptive model recognition with a dynamic system model for remaining useful life prediction. The developed approach employs a statistical learning framework for adaptively learning of time-series degradation performance, and then a Bayesian technique for self-updating of data-driven models to adapt the operational or environmental changes. With the developed approach, the prognosis technique can eliminate the dependence to system specific models and be adaptive to system performance changes due to degradation or variation of system operational conditions, thereby yielding accurate remaining useful life predictions. The developed methodology is demonstrated by an engineering case study.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Pathologic anatomy of the soft palate, part 1: Embryology, the hard tissue platform, and evolution

The purpose of this communication is to explore in detail the developmental anatomy of the soft palate, its pathologies, and strategies for management. Despite the voluminous literature regarding complete cleft palate in its usual presentation, little attention has been paid to the biology of the isolated soft palate cleft. It exists as a spectrum, ranging in severity from the submucous variant, with nothing notable save a groove and a palpable defect of the posterior spine, all the way to a complete disruption of the soft tissue envelope and the horizontal palatine shelves. All these presentations are but variations of common pathology. Much can be gained from a disciplined examination of these. Our discussion includes two parts. The first part is on the embryologic events that generate the mesenchymal building blocks from which the posterior palate is constructed: palatine bone, oral and nasal mucosa, palatine aponeurosis, and muscle slings. Palate structures develop from neural crest and mesoderm; these tissues originate at specific sites along the axis of the embryo and they can be mapped according to the developmental units of the central nervous system (CNS) from which they are innervated. These units, called neuromeres, are specific zones within the neural tube, the boundaries of which are established by the expression pattern of homeotic genes. The forebrain (prosencephalon) has telencephalon and 3 prosomeres, the midbrain (mesencephalon) has 1-2 mesomeres, and the hindbrain (rhombencephalon) has 12 rhombomeres. Each neuromere has a specific neuroanatomic content and is hardwired to specific tissues outside the brain. We next consider a model of the palate which is analogous to a pinball machine that consists of a platform (bone) and mobile “flippers” or lever arms (the velum). In this study, the osseous platform is discussed in detail with neural crest bones being coded by the sensory innervation of their surrounding soft-tissue envelope. Maxilla, palatine bone, and vomers are all derivatives of hindbrain neural crest arising from rhombomere 2 but distributed according to various neurovascular pedicles of the V2 stapedial system, the anatomy of which will be explained in detail. Next, the evolution of palate will be presented as a series of innovations favoring increased metabolic capacity. A final appendix presents a functional classification of cranial nerves which I have endeavored to make straightforward. This will prove useful when reading the second part of this manuscript having to do with the neuromuscular apparatus of the soft palate.
Sedation and Delirium

Intensive care unit patients frequently experience pain, anxiety, and/or agitation, prompting treatment with analgesics and sedatives. Care should be taken when treating pain and agitation since oversedation and delirium, which can be exacerbated by some sedatives, are also common in the ICU and are associated with poor outcomes. A growing body of evidence supports close monitoring for pain, agitation, and delirium during critical illness, minimizing sedation, and eliminating risk factors for delirium. This chapter highlights these principles of ICU management within the context of a specific case, reviewing the evidence and making recommendations that will lead to improved outcomes in the ICU.
Values in the Principles Course: Are We Socially Responsible to Our Students?

Values issues-ethics and social responsibility-have been shown to be appropriate subject matter for functional courses in business programs. However, examining intro ductory marketing texts reveals these subjects receiving scant treatment. Further, macro issues associated with social responsibility receive significantly more coverage than micro, or individual, issues-those more likely to be encountered by recent graduates.
Abstract 157: MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 Inhibitor Injection into the Solitary Tract Nucleus Impairs Cardiovagal Baroreflex Function in Transgenic ASrAOGEN Rats

Hypotensive transgenic ASrAOGEN rats (AS) with low brain angiotensinogen resulting from glial overexpression of an antisense oligonucleotide to angiotensinogen, have enhanced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) relative to hypertensive transgenic (mRen2)27 rats (mRen) that overexpress the murine Ren2 gene or normotensive Sprague Dawley rats (SD). The AS rats exhibit elevated protein expression and activity (less phosphorylated-ERK) of the MAP Kinase Phosphatase-1 [MKP-1], a negative regulator of MAP Kinase signaling in the brain dorsal medulla compared with either mRen or SD rats at 26 wks of age. To determine if MKP-1 plays a role in maintenance of BRS, we gave acute bilateral microinjections of an irreversible MKP-1 inhibitor {2,3-bis-[(2-Hydroxyethyl)thiol]-1,4-naphthoquinone, NSC 95397; 200 nM/120 nL} into the solitary tract nucleus (NTS), an important site in the dorsal medulla for modulation of BRS in urethane/chloralose anesthetized AS, mRen and SD rats at 21 wks of age. The MKP-1 inhibitor impaired the BRS for bradycardia in response to increases in pressure by 48 % at 10 min (1.01 ± 0.16 baseline vs. 0.49 ± 0.1 msec/mm Hg at 10 min), 56 % at 60 min and 64 % at 120 min in the AS rats (p = 0.02, n = 8), but not in the mRen or SD rats. In addition, NSC 95397 reduced resting pressure (91 ± 3 at baseline vs. 79 ± 3 at 60 min vs. 80 ± 3 mm Hg at 120 min) in the SD rats, with a similar trend in the other strains, without effects on resting heart rate in any strain. Thus, up-regulated expression of MKP-1 contributes to the higher resting BRS function in AS rats. AS animals are spared age-related declines in BRS and they maintain higher expression of MKP-1 protein in the dorsal medulla vs. either mRen or SD rats (AS: 1.6 ± 0.2, mRen: 0.8 ± 0.1, SD: 1 ± 0.1 arbitary units; p = 0.01, n = 6 per group) at 66 wks of age. Thus, higher MKP-1 may be involved the preservation of BRS in older AS rats, suggesting the phosphatase be a novel therapeutic target to improve BRS function in aging and hypertension.
Chelicerates and the Conquest of Land: A View of Arachnid Origins Through an Evo-Devo Spyglass

The internal phylogeny of Chelicerata and the attendant evolutionary scenario of arachnid terrestrialization have a long and contentious history. Previous studies of developmental gene expression data have suggested that respiratory systems of spiders, crustaceans, and insects are all serially homologous structures derived from the epipods (outer appendage rami) of the arthropod ancestor, corresponding to an ancestral gill. A separate body of evidence has suggested that the respiratory systems of arachnids are modified, inverted telopods (inner rami, or legs). Here I review these dissonant homology statements and compare the developmental genetic basis for respiratory system development in insects and arachnids. I show that the respiratory primordia of arachnids are not positionally homologous to those of insects. I further demonstrate that candidate genes critical to tracheal fate specification in Drosophila melanogaster are expressed very differently in arachnid exemplars. Taken together, these data suggest that mechanisms of respiratory system development are not derived from homologous structures or mechanisms in insects and arachnids, and that different terrestrial arthropod lineages have solved the challenge of aerial respiration using different developmental mechanisms.
Pregnancy among mothers with spina bifida

Summary Introduction Recognizing the importance of sexual and reproductive health to patients with spina bifida (SB), pediatric urologists have taken responsibility for initiating conversations regarding this topic with adolescent and young adult SB patients. However, the sexual and reproductive health of women with SB remains under-investigated. It is unknown how many women are having babies, what mode of delivery is used, and if this has changed over time with the increasing life expectancy of these patients. A better understanding of pregnancy and delivery among young women with SB will enable urologists to provide more informed, comprehensive counseling to patients. Objective We sought to compare hospitalizations for delivery in women with and without SB to determine differences in the mode of delivery used and changes in the rate of deliveries over time. Study design Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization's National Inpatient Sample, we identified all hospitalizations for delivery in 2003–2013. After distinguishing between hospitalizations among women with and without SB, temporal trends analysis and bivariate comparison were performed to determine differences in patient and hospital characteristics and mode of deliveries. Results We identified 10,147 hospitalizations for deliveries among women with SB and 42,197,763 among women without. Of all hospitalizations for deliveries, the percentage of deliveries by women with SB increased by 56% between 2003 and 2013 (629–925 deliveries per year, p Discussion There are significant differences in the characteristics and mode of delivery between women with and without SB who are hospitalized for a delivery. The number of deliveries among these women are significantly increasing and over a quarter of the deliveries occur by age 22. Conclusion With increasing rates of deliveries and young age at delivery for women with SB, it is imperative that pediatric and transitional urologists initiate discussions on sexual and reproductive health beginning in adolescence. Download : Download high-res image (217KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure . Mode of delivery used by women with and without spina bifida in 2003–2013.
Functional Importance of the Plant Endophytic Microbiome: Implications for Agriculture, Forestry, and Bioenergy

Just as the human microbiome is important for our health [1], so too the plant microbiome is necessary for plant health, but perhaps more so. Since plants cannot move, they face more challenges in acquiring sufficient nutrients from a given site, defending against herbivores and pathogens, and tolerating abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, and pollutants. The plant microbiome may help plants overcome these challenges. Since genetic adaptation is relatively slow in plants, there is a distinct advantage to acquiring an effective microbiome able to more rapidly adapt to a changing environment. Although rhizospheric microorganisms have been extensively studied for decades, the more intimate associations of plants with endophytes, the microorganisms living fully within plants, have been only recently studied. It is now clear, though, that the plant microbiome can have profound impacts on plant growth and health. Comprising an ecosystem within plants, endophytes are involved in nutrient acquisition and cycling, interacting with each other in complex ways. The specific members of the microbiome can vary depending on the environment, plant genotype, and abiotic or biotic stresses [2–6]. The microbiome is so integral to plant survival that the microorganisms within plants can explain as much or more of the phenotypic variation as the plant genotype [7]. In plant biology research, an individual plant should thus be viewed as a whole, the plant along with intimately associated microbiota (a “holobiont”), with the microbiome playing a fundamental role in the adaptation of the plant to environmental challenges [8–10].