cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase Gene Diversity in the Guts of Higher Termites with Different Diets and Lifestyles

In this study, we examine gene diversity for formyl-tetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS), a key enzyme in homoacetogenesis, recovered from the gut microbiota of six species of higher termites. The “higher” termites (family Termitidae), which represent the majority of extant termite species and genera, engage in a broader diversity of feeding and nesting styles than the “lower” termites. Previous studies of termite gut homoacetogenesis have focused on wood-feeding lower termites, from which the preponderance of FTHFS sequences recovered were related to those from acetogenic treponemes. While sequences belonging to this group were present in the guts of all six higher termites examined, treponeme-like FTHFS sequences represented the majority of recovered sequences in only two species (a wood-feeding Nasutitermes sp. and a palm-feeding Microcerotermes sp.). The remaining four termite species analyzed (a Gnathamitermes sp. and two Amitermes spp. that were recovered from subterranean nests with indeterminate feeding strategies and a litter-feeding Rhynchotermes sp.) yielded novel FTHFS clades not observed in lower termites. These termites yielded two distinct clusters of probable purinolytic Firmicutes and a large group of potential homoacetogens related to sequences previously recovered from the guts of omnivorous cockroaches. These findings suggest that the gut environments of different higher termite species may select for different groups of homoacetogens, with some species hosting treponeme-dominated homoacetogen populations similar to those of wood-feeding, lower termites while others host Firmicutes-dominated communities more similar to those of omnivorous cockroaches.
Factors influencing behavior and transferability of habitat models for a benthic stream fish

Abstract We examined the predictive power and transferability of habitat-based models by comparing associations of tangerine darter Percina aurantiaca and stream habitat at local and regional scales in North Fork Holston River (NFHR) and Little River, Virginia. Our models correctly predicted the presence or absence of tangerine darters in NFHR for 64% (local model) and 78% (regional model) of the sampled habitat-units (i.e., pools, runs, riffles). The distribution of tangerine darters apparently was influenced more by regional variables than local variables. Data from Little River and 37 historical records from Virginia were used to assess transferability of our models developed from NFHR data. In general, the models did not transfer well to Little River; all models predicted that either no (regional model) or few (local model) habitat-units in Little River would contain tangerine darter even though the species was observed in 83% of the habitat-units sampled. Conversely, the regional model correctly pred...
Geochemistry of a 1.2 Ga carbonate-evaporite succession, northern Baffin and Bylot Islands: implications for Mesoproterozoic marine evolution

A 4‰ positive shift in the carbon isotopic composition of the oceans, recorded globally in marine carbonate rocks at ∼1.3 Ga, suggests a significant change in Mesoproterozoic carbon cycling. Enhanced burial fluxes of organic carbon, relative to inorganic carbon, implied by this isotopic shift may have resulted in increased oxygenation of the Earth's biosphere, as has been suggested for similar Paleoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic carbon isotope events. This hypothesized Mesoproterozoic oxygenation event may be recorded in the geologic record by the appearance of the oldest preserved, laterally extensive, bedded marine CaSO4 evaporites in the ∼1.2 Ga Grenville and Bylot supergroups. Speculation that the appearance of extensively preserved marine gypsum and/or anhydrite reflects increased biospheric oxygenation has been challenged, however, by the hypothesis that CaSO4 precipitation prior to the Mesoproterozoic may have been inhibited by significantly higher marine carbonate saturation, which would have facilitated carbonate precipitation and effectively limited Ca2+ availability during seawater evaporation (Grotzinger, J.P., 1989. Controls on Carbonate Platform and Basin Development, vol. 44, SEPM, Tulsa, OK, pp. 79–106), regardless of O2 levels. The 1.2 Ga Society Cliffs Formation (Bylot Supergroup, northern Baffin Island) consists of ∼720 m of peritidal carbonates, evaporites, and minor siliciclastic rocks. Evaporites occur predominantly in the lowermost 300 m of the Society Cliffs Formation, where gypsum beds (1–250 cm thick) constitute up to 15% of the exposed strata. Stratigraphic and sedimentologic constraints, as well as isotopic (C, O, Sr) and elemental (Ca, Sr, Na, K, Ba) compositions of evaporites and associated carbonates, indicate a marine origin for Society Cliffs gypsum. An upsection increase in δ34S of Society Cliffs gypsum (from +22‰ to +32‰ VCDT) is therefore interpreted to reflect primary variation in Mesoproterozoic marine sulfate compositions, although the inferred rapidity of isotopic change requires a marine sulfate reservoir significantly smaller than that of the modern ocean. Examination of the maximum fractionation between coeval sulfide and sulfate reservoirs, however, indicates that Mesoproterozoic oceans were not sulfate-limited with respect to bacterial sulfate reduction either before or after the hypothesized 1.3 Ga oxygenation event. Although increased ocean-atmosphere oxygenation may have increased marine sulfate concentrations at this time, the exact role of a Mesoproterozoic oxygenation event cannot be ascertained. Furthermore, high Mg/Ca ratios measured in Society Cliffs gypsum suggest that elevated Mg2+ concentrations in Proterozoic marine systems may have helped sustain carbonate hypersaturation, and that Ca2+-limitation may have played a significant role in the Proterozoic record of evaporite deposition.
Providing Access: Foreign Language Learners and Genre Theory

As methodological emphasis in intermediate-level foreign language courses has shifted from translation-based learning, which utilized literary texts quite extensively, to communication-based learning, literature in the intermediate-level course has been either overlooked as a viable tool of instruction or used in the classroom as a springboard to communication. This article argues that these approaches do not develop the students' appreciation of literature, and thus miss an opportunity for students to participate in highly motivational activities. Using the short story at the intermediate level can provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the foreign language in a way that does develop their appreciation of literature, specifically through the examination of aspects of genre theory. Genre theory and classroom-tested techniques are synthesized in the presentation of strategies for teaching selected literary characteristics of the short story at the intermediate level.
CONSTRAINTS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IPM PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.A.: A COURSE OUTLINE

Abstract To develop and implement the pest management programs of the future, students in crop protection should be educated about the economic, social and institutional contexts in which these programs will operate. To this end, an overview of selected constraints to the implementation of IPM in the U.S.A. is presented. A broad range of constraints is addressed, including institutional conflicts, cosmetic standards, the lack of incentive to develop and use alternatives to chemical control, difficulties in communication and acceptance by growers, risk-aversion, difficulties in organizing area-wide control programs and the complexity of agroecosystems.
A prospective study of a titanium femoral component for cemented total hip arthroplasty

Abstract The authors studied the clinical and radiographic results of a modern titanium-alloy femoral stem with a cobalt-chrome-alloy head for use in cemented total hip arthroplasty. One hundred sixteen hips (102 patients) were operated on using modern cement techniques and prospectively followed using the Hospital for Special Surgery hip rating system and standard radiographic criteria. At a mean follow-up period of 4.8 years (range, 2–8 years), 69 hips were rated excellent, 38 good, 4 fair, and 5 poor. A total of 13 femoral components (11%) were radiographically loose according to the criteria of Harris. In 11 of these loose femoral components, debonding or separation at the cement-prosthesis interface, was the initial cause of failure, with bone-cement interface erosions occurring later in five hips. Revision of a loose femoral component has been performed in three hips and is pending in two other hips (4.3%). Significant calcar resorption was seen in only 17 hips (14.6%), and serial measurements of distal femoral cortical widths showed no distal cortical hypertrophy except in one femur. The incidence of loosening with this cemented titanium-alloy femoral component (with a cobalt-chrome-alloy head) is much higher than published reports of similar cobalt-chrome-alloy stems. The authors have abandoned the use of titaniumalloy femoral components for cemented total hip arthroplasty.
Stress Distribution and Settlement of Shallow Foundations

The basic requirements for a good foundation are that (1) it is safe against complete collapse or failure of the soils upon which it is founded; (2) it experiences no excessive or damaging settlements or movements; (3) environmental and other factors (see below) are properly considered; and (4) the foundation is economically feasible in relation to the function and cost of the overall structure.
Programming Language Constructs for Which It Is Impossible To Obtain Good Hoare Axiom Systems

Hoare axiom systems for establishing partial correctness of programs may fail to be complete because of (a) incompleteness of the assertion language relative to the underlying interpretation or (b) inability of the assertion language to express the mvanants of loops Cook has shown that if there IS a complete proof system for the assertion language (l e all true formulas of the assertion language) and if the assertion language satisfies a natural expresstbthty condition then a sound and complete axiom system for a large subset of Algol may be devised We exhibit programming language constructs for which it ms impossible to obtain sound and complete sets of Hoare axioms even in this special sense of Cook's These constructs include (0 recursive procedures with procedure parameters in a programming language which uses static scope of ldenufiers and (u) coroutmes in a language which allows parameterless recurslve procedures Modifications of these constructs for which sound and complete systems of axioms may be obtained are also discussed
Fatty acid composition of mouse lipids and lipoproteins.

Summary1. Mouse plasma lipid and lipoprotein fatty acids were evaluated by gas chromatography. 2. The plasma cholesteryl ester fraction contained a high percentage of polyunsaturated acids, linoleic (50.1%) and arachidonic (29.9%). 3. Mouse fatty acid data were compared with human values. 4. Concentration of albumin-bound NEFA in mouse plasma was found to be significantly higher than normally present in humans.
Conventional imaging and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography for predicting the clinical outcome of patients with previously treated Hodgkin's disease

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the ability of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro- d -glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) to predict the clinical outcome of previously treated patients with Hodgkin's Disease (HD). Patients and methods Thirty-two patients were studied with PET within a median interval of 5.2 months after treatment. Conventional imaging (CI) performed within two months before PET included 2.9±1.2 imaging tests/patient. To determine the independent ability of FDG-PET to predict the clinical outcome, PET images were reread without knowledge of CI and clinical history. Study end points were disease-free survival, or clinical evidence of disease or death. PET and CI stages were also compared for each patient. Results Using the clinical outcome as gold standard after a median follow-up of 14 months, 21 of 32 patients (65%) were considered disease-free while 11 of 32 patients (35%) had evidence for disease or had died. The predictive accuracy of PET was 91% vs. 66% for conventional imaging (P Conclusion Whole-body FDG-PET imaging modified the clinical stage in 28% of patients. Moreover, FDG-PET predicted patient outcome with a higher predictive accuracy than CI. This superior prognostic accuracy was achieved with a single FDG-PET study vs. 2.9±1.2 CI procedures/patient.
How Can Virtual Reality Reshape Furniture Retailing

The authors explore the potential that Virtual Reality (VR) offers for the future of furniture retailing. For that purpose, they develop an Internet-based Virtual Reality Integrated Solution (VRIS)...
Examining the Dimensionality of ADHD Symptomatology in Young Adults Using Factor Analysis and Outcome Prediction

Objective: Current diagnostic criteria specify that ADHD involves difficulties with inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Researchers using factor analysis have consistently found support for an inattention factor in both children and adults. Findings have been mixed regarding whether hyperactivity and impulsivity reflect one or two dimensions. To date, no study has examined the merits of separating hyperactivity and impulsivity factors to predict socioemotional and academic outcomes in young adults. Method: The current study examined self-reported ADHD symptomatology data from 1,096 college students. Subsets of the sample completed a variety of outcome measures. Results: The prediction of outcomes provided support that complemented confirmatory factor analysis for the separation of the hyperactivity and impulsivity constructs. Impulsivity uniquely predicted more outcomes than hyperactivity alone. Conclusion: Results were consistent with the conceptualization of ADHD as primarily a disorder of beh...
Twenty-minute fasting version of the US 13C-urea breath test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection.

Background.In large-scale multi-center clinical trials, the US 13C-urea breath test (UBT) has proven to have a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 95%. Ingestion of a meal to delay gastric emptying has advantages of increasing the level of signal as well as prolonging the duration of significantly increased 13C excretion, at the expense of requiring 40 to 60 minutes to complete the test. Our aim was to explore the utility of the 13C-UBT with a total duration of 30 minutes or less. Methods. After a baseline breath sample was obtained, 125 mg of 13C-urea was given in 100 ml of water, and additional breath samples were taken after 20 and 30 minutes. The results of the UBT were compared to histological assessment, culture, and the rapid urease test. 13C-UBTs were carried out on normal volunteers who underwent gastroscopy during which six mucosal biopsies were taken. Three biopsies were for histological evaluation (Genta stain), two for culture, and one was for agar gel rapid urease testing. The UBT was conducted 2 to 3 days either before or after the endoscopic procedure. Results.The cutoff value for a positive UBT was enrichment of 2.4Δ%0 (delta over baseline). Of the 66 tests, 51%0 were Helicobacter pylori-positive. There were no false positive UBTs and only two false negative UBTs at 20 minutes (sensitivity, 96%; specificity, 100%). At 30 minutes, one other UBT was false negative (gray zone of 2.36%0.) (sensitivity, 94%; specificity, 100%). Conclusion. These results suggest that omission of the meal and shortening the duration of the US 13C-UBT to 20 minutes still may maintain excellent specificity and sensitivity of the test.
Defining the mRNA recognition signature of a bacterial toxin protein

Bacteria contain multiple type II toxins that selectively degrade mRNAs bound to the ribosome to regulate translation and growth and facilitate survival during the stringent response. Ribosome-dependent toxins recognize a variety of three-nucleotide codons within the aminoacyl (A) site, but how these endonucleases achieve substrate specificity remains poorly understood. Here, we identify the critical features for how the host inhibition of growth B (HigB) toxin recognizes each of the three A-site nucleotides for cleavage. X-ray crystal structures of HigB bound to two different codons on the ribosome illustrate how HigB uses a microbial RNase-like nucleotide recognition loop to recognize either cytosine or adenosine at the second A-site position. Strikingly, a single HigB residue and 16S rRNA residue C1054 form an adenosine-specific pocket at the third A-site nucleotide, in contrast to how tRNAs decode mRNA. Our results demonstrate that the most important determinant for mRNA cleavage by ribosome-dependent toxins is interaction with the third A-site nucleotide.
A data-driven approach for quality assessment of radiologic interpretations

Given the increasing emphasis on delivering high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare, improved methodologies are needed to measure the accuracy and utility of ordered diagnostic examinations in achieving the appropriate diagnosis. Here, we present a data-driven approach for performing automated quality assessment of radiologic interpretations using other clinical information (e.g., pathology) as a reference standard for individual radiologists, subspecialty sections, imaging modalities, and entire departments. Downstream diagnostic conclusions from the electronic medical record are utilized as "truth" to which upstream diagnoses generated by radiology are compared. The described system automatically extracts and compares patient medical data to characterize concordance between clinical sources. Initial results are presented in the context of breast imaging, matching 18 101 radiologic interpretations with 301 pathology diagnoses and achieving a precision and recall of 84% and 92%, respectively. The presented data-driven method highlights the challenges of integrating multiple data sources and the application of information extraction tools to facilitate healthcare quality improvement.
Symptomatic peritoneal calcification in a child: treatment with tidal peritoneal dialysis.

Objective To evaluate the ability of tidal peritoneal dialysis to decrease the pain and frequency of hemoperitoneum associated with peritoneal calcification. Design Prospective case evaluation. Setting The Home Peritoneal Dialysis Unit, Children's Mercy Hospital. Patient Seven-year old male with diffuse peritoneal calcifications, daily abdominal pain, and recurrent hemoperitoneum. Intervention Tidal peritoneal dialysis was conducted with an initial fill volume of 45 mL/kg and a tidal inflow volume of 23 mL/kg. The patient also maintained a daytime pass volume of 45 mL/kg. Duration of treatment was 7 months. Results The patient's abdominal pain resolved 2 days after initiating tidal peritoneal dialysis. No episodes of hemoperitoneum or abdominal pain have occurred for 7 months. Conclusion Tidal peritoneal dialysis is a unique approach to the achievement of symptomatic relief in the patient with peritoneal calcification.
Risky Business: Acting as Lender and Otc Derivatives Dealer with the Same Customer

Here the Author looks at some of the potential legal risk factors for a lender in taking a dual role with the same customer with respect to loans and over the counter derivative transactions. The principal risk, says the author, is the rejection of a bank's claim for damages in bankruptcy upon the termination of over the counter derivative transactions entered into with the now bankrupt borrower. This is because the damages with respect to the derivative transactions may be characterized as unmatured interest which may be rejected by bankruptcy court. Although such a characterization was rejected by the courts in the Thrifty Oil case, banks should still be careful in its preparation of loan documentation.
House Fly Control in a Poultry House with Insecticides in Slow-Release Plastic Formulations

Dichlorvos, Dursban® ( O, O -diethyl O -(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothioate), and naled in slow-release plastic formulations were tested against. Musca domestica L. in Florida poultry houses containing caged layers. The dichlorvos formulation (20% Shell Vapona Resin Strip Regrind) controlled both larvae and adults for about 7 weeks with 3 applications of 2 g actual toxicant/m2 breeding area.
The Guatemalan National Revolutionary unit: the long collapse

ABSTRACTThe Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG) fought one of the longest and bloodiest civil wars in recent Latin American history. In 1996, the URNG and the Government of Guatemala signed a Firm and Lasting Agreement ending the country’s civil war and initiating the URNG’s post-war life as a political party. After finishing third in its initial electoral competition, the URNG has since been unable to capture more than 4% of the vote, on its own or in coalition, leaving it a minor political party. What explains the poor electoral performance of the URNG as a political party? Based upon fieldwork, elite interviews, and analysis of electoral data, I argue that the URNG’s minor party performance was caused by both organizational and institutional factors.
Pore Pressure Pulsing Effects on Reservoir Transport Properties

An oscillatory pore pressure method for simultaneous measurements of rock transport properties, such as intrinsic permeability and specific storage capacity, and summarize a laboratory setup, being developed for these purposes. The pore pressure pulsing method has been described before by many researchers, however we attempt to examine the relationship between a rock’s transport properties and oscillation parameters, such as amplitude and frequency.
The influence of oxygen contamination on the thermal stability and hardness of nanocrystalline Ni–W alloys

Abstract Nanocrystalline Ni–W alloys are reported in the literature to be stabilized against high temperature grain growth by W-segregation at the grain boundaries. However, alternative thermal stability mechanisms have been insufficiently investigated, especially in the presence of impurities. This study explored the influence of oxygen impurities on the thermal stability and mechanical properties of electrodeposited Ni-23 at% W with aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and nanoindentation hardness testing. The primary finding of this study was that nanoscale oxides were of sufficient size and volume fraction to inhibit grain growth. The oxide particles were predominantly located on grain boundaries and triple points, which strongly suggests that a particle drag mechanism was active during annealing. In addition, W-segregation was observed at the oxide/Ni(W) interfaces rather than the presumed Ni(W) grain boundaries, further supporting the argument that alternative mechanisms are responsible for thermal stability in these alloys. Lastly, alloys with nanoscale oxides exhibited a higher hardness compared to similar alloys without oxides, suggesting that the particles are widely advantageous. Overall, this work demonstrates that impurity oxide particles can limit grain growth, and alternative mechanisms may be responsible for Ni–W thermal stability.
Ferromagnetic Properties of Spark-Processed Photoluminescing Silicon

Magnetic properties of photoluminescing spark-processed silicon (sp-Si) have been investigated for the first time. Contrary to the diamagnetic signal known for bulk silicon, sp-Si displays a paramagnetic resonance as well as a ferromagnetic hysterisis loop. The paramagnetic resonance was studied using an EPR system and showed a high concentration of at least two distinct paramagnetic centers. One center can be eliminated by annealing in Ultra-High Purity nitrogen for 30 minutes at 600 °C. Measurements utilizing a SQUID magnetometer revealed that sp-Si displays ferromagnetic ordering with a saturization magnetization occuring at low fields. This is attributed to the high density of paramagnetic centers. Temperature dependent measurements were performed to establish possible links between magnetic properties and the luminescence of sp-Si.
Capturing a City’s Past

In the late 19th century, the city officials of Berlin were intent on improving sanitation and hygiene in ‘Old Berlin’, the city’s messy and crowded historic core. While officials believed that demolishing blighted neighborhoods would create a healthier city, they also recognized the need to document disappearing buildings and vanishing streetscapes. Photographs of ‘Old Berlin’ taken between 1860 and 1914 created visual histories of the city: in the earlier period from 1860 to 1890, the images recorded the complex relationship of preservation and progress, whereas after 1900, photographs of the city reflected an historical turn which aestheticized the past into a nostalgic, fixed, eternal moment.
Spermatic cord torsion in the neonate.

Abstract We describe 8 cases of spermatic cord torsion in the neonate, including the fifth and sixth reported cases of neonatal bilateral torsion. Early discovery of the torsion and orchiopexy resulted in near normal growth of the affected testicle in 1 patient at 1-year followup. Recommendations for surgical management of torsion and treatment of the uninvolved testicle in unilateral cases are discussed.
Keep smiling: Enduring effects of facial expressions and postures on emotional experience and memory

Self-perception theory (Bem, 1972; Laird, 1974) holds that acting as if one feels something will result in that feeling. Whereas other studies have examined effects of emotional expression on immediate emotional experience, this study investigated the more lasting influence of practised expressions. Participants repeatedly produced the facial expressions and postures associated with either Happiness, Sadness or Anger. Subsequently, participants responsive to their bodily, personal cues felt more of the emotions they practised, even though they were no longer performing the expressive behaviour. In a separate procedure, they recalled more life events with an emotional content associated with their training. No mood changes occurred for participants responsive to situational cues.
One Standard to Rule Them All: The Disparate Impact of Energy Efficiency Regulations

Regulations establishing energy efficiency and fuel economy standards are intended to conserve energy by getting consumers to choose more energy-efficient products. Agencies claim that restricting consumers’ choices provides consumers with enormous net benefits, but this reasoning is hard to reconcile with the fact that consumers have many legitimate reasons to have heterogeneous preferences for the appliances they buy and the cars they drive. In addition to disregarding consumer preferences, these rules may not conserve as much energy as advertised due to unintended behavioral consequences. This chapter explores the reasoning behind energy efficiency regulations and why these reasons are insufficient support for the large costs they impose on consumers, especially low-income consumers.
Dual Blockade of the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System: Benefits Versus Adverse Outcomes

Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade in patients with established heart or kidney disease provides an approximate 20 % relative risk reduction of disease progression, and cardiovascular (CV) or renal end points. There is minimal risk associated with this approach, especially with close monitoring. Whether dual RAAS blockade can provide incremental clinical benefit is of some debate. Overall, there is no CV benefit. However, dual RAAS blockade has not been well tested in patients with renal disease and there is some indication of therapeutic benefit in patients with systolic heart failure.
Stream hydrology and geochemistry along a rural to urban land use gradient

High frequency monitoring of water quality and stable isotopes quantify large hydrological and geochemical differences across a rural to urban land use gradient that includes three watersheds and two of their subbasins. Following precipitation events, floods on a rural stream feature hydrographs with low peak discharges and long lag times, high baseflow contributions, and small geochemical variations. In contrast, the flows of an urban stream and its tributary respond in a flashy manner, with average lag times decreasing by at least 55% compared to the rural stream. We also observed that baseflow contributions during floods decreased by an average of 40% in the urban streams. Importantly, we find that reduced baseflow as a function of increasing impervious surface area is not a linear trend among the streams, and suburban streams are less impacted than would be predicted by impervious surface area alone. The urban streams also exhibit large variations in water quality parameters during flooding events, often with five times the variability of the rural end-member. These differences are observed among all physical and geochemical characteristics that were monitored, including flow magnitude, stable isotope ratios, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, turbidity, specific conductivity, concentrations of Cl− and nutrients, and bacterial loads. The great variability of urban streams following storms is paralleled by their larger diurnal and seasonal oscillations. Collectively, the extreme variations in the physical and geochemical character of urban streams have negative consequences to environmental quality and aquatic life.
Crassulacean acid metabolism as a continuous trait: variability in the contribution of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) in populations of Portulacaria afra

Abstract Portulacaria afra L. is a dominant facultative CAM species growing in the Southeastern Cape of South Africa. P. afra is well adapted to regions of the Spekboom thicket in areas of limited and sporadic rainfall. P. afra populations occur in isolated drainages. We hypothesized the utilization of CAM would vary in the different populations in response to rainfall and temperature gradients. Carbon isotope composition can be used to determine the contribution of CAM in leaf tissue. P. afra leaves of populations were analyzed in transects running south to north and east to west in locations from the coast to elevations of 1400 m. Carbon isotope values ranged from −16.1‰ in Plutosvale to −21.0‰ to −22.7‰ in Port Alfred and Grahamstown populations respectively with some values reaching −25.2‰. These values indicated an estimated variable contribution of the CAM pathway ranging from 23% to almost 60%. The results indicate a much greater range of variability than previously reported. The carbon isotope values showed no direct correlation with rainfall or maximum or minimum day/night temperatures in the summer or winter for the different locations. The results indicated the microclimate may play a more significant role in determining CAM utilization. We present evidence that CAM is a continuous trait in P. afra and CAM is operating continuously at low levels during C 3 photosynthesis which may explain the high variability in its carbon isotope composition. P. afra populations illustrate a large phenotypic plasticity and further studies may indicate genotypic differences between populations. This may be valuable in ascertaining the genetic contribution to its water use efficiency and possible use in engineering higher water use efficiency in C 3 plants. The results revealed here may explain P. afra ’ s ability to sequester carbon at high rates compared to more mesic species.
Symptom clusters in adults with inflammatory bowel disease.

Symptoms (pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are associated with reduced quality of life. Understanding how IBD symptoms cluster and the clinical and demographic factors associated with symptom clusters will enable focused development of symptom management interventions. The study purposes were to (i) identify symptom cluster membership among adults with IBD and (ii) examine associations between demographic (age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education) and clinical factors (smoking status, time since diagnosis, medication type, IBD type, disease activity), and membership in specific symptom cluster groups. We conducted a retrospective study of data from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's (CCFA) Partners Cohort and used Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures to measure pain interference, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and depression. The sample included 5,296 participants with IBD (mean age 44, 72% female). In latent class analysis (LCA), four groups of participants were identified based on symptoms: “low symptom burden” (26% of sample), “high symptom burden” (38%), “physical symptoms” (22%), and “psychological symptoms” (14%). In multinomial regression, female gender, smoking, corticosteroids, Crohn's disease, and active disease state were associated with membership in the high symptom burden group. Additional research is needed to test interventions that may be effective at reducing symptom burden for individuals with IBD.
Group differences in pain interference, psychiatric disorders, and general medical conditions among Hispanics and whites in the U.S. general population

Abstract The cross-sectional retrospective study examined whether ethnicity moderates relationships between pain interference and both psychopathology and general medical conditions among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults. Participants comprised 32,574 (14% Hispanic; 86% white) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions respondents. While Hispanic respondents were less likely than white respondents to report severe pain interference (11.4% vs. 11.9%) or moderate pain interference (5.7% vs. 7.8%), and were more likely to report no or low pain interference (82.9% vs. 80.3%), the magnitude of these ethnic group differences was relatively small. Pain interference was associated with multiple past-year Axis-I psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions in both Hispanic and white respondents. Stronger relationships were observed in Hispanic compared to white respondents between moderate pain interference and any heart condition, tachycardia, and hypertension, and between severe pain interference and any mood disorder. Stronger relationships were observed in white compared to Hispanic respondents between severe pain interference and both social phobia and any stomach condition. Differences between Hispanic and white respondents on the prevalence of pain interference and on the strength of the associations between pain interference and specific psychiatric disorders and general medical conditions underscore the complexity of ethnic health disparities and suggest the importance of further study of underlying mechanisms.
Simultaneous pulse wave and flow estimation at high-framerate using plane wave and transverse oscillation on carotid phantom

In this paper a global estimation method based on transverse oscillation to simultaneously extract wall and flow velocities at high-framerate is presented. Several carotid phantoms with various parameters were made to validate the method. All acquisitions were performed at high-framerate (7 500 images per second) using horizontal plane wave with a 3 cycles sinusoidal transmit pulse. Transverse oscillation was introduced in post-acquisition. Finally, velocity vectors were extracted thanks to a phase based estimator with a region of interest of 2 mm (8 axial wavelengths) per 2.96 mm (2 lateral wavelengths) for each pixel. Results are promising, all standard deviations are lower than 10 % and the method is now validated for a deeper study. Indeed, flow and pulse wave velocities computed by the algorithm are in accordance with pressure columns and number of freezethaw cycles.
Long-term Outcome of Second Ahmed Valves in Adult Glaucoma.

Purpose To evaluate the long-term outcomes of second Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implants in eyes with glaucoma. Design Retrospective interventional case series. Methods Patients with sequential second Ahmed valves implanted in the same eye from 1994 to 2016 were included. Success was defined with 3 criteria: (1) intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤ 21 mm Hg and IOP reduction of 20%; (2) IOP ≤ 18 mm Hg and IOP reduction of 25%; and (3) IOP ≤15 mm Hg and IOP reduction of 30%. The primary analysis was the 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate for each criterion. Failure was established when the success criterion was not met at 2 consecutive visits at least 3 months after the surgery. Loss of light perception, requirement for additional glaucoma surgery, hypotony maculopathy, and serious complications were also considered failures. Results One hundred ten eyes from 104 patients were included with a mean follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.6–7.33 years). The median (IQR) age at the second AGV was 68.0 (53.5–77.9) years. The median (IQR) time between surgeries was 2.1 (0.7–4.0) years. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival rates were 57%, 51%, and 30% for criteria 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Conclusion A second AGV is effective in reducing IOP in patients who require additional IOP lowering after a first AGV. The success rates are comparable to primary AGV implantation, and to trabeculectomy in eyes with a previously implanted glaucoma drainage device. A second AGV is a viable option in eyes with inadequate IOP levels after a primary AGV.
Mesoscale surface equivalent temperature (T E) for East Central USA

The purpose of this research is to investigate near surface mesoscale equivalent temperatures (TE) in Kentucky (located in east central USA) and potential land cover influences. TE is a measure of the moist enthalpy composed of the dry bulb temperature, T, and absolute humidity. Kentucky presents a unique opportunity to perform a study of this kind because of the observational infrastructure provided by the Kentucky Mesonet ( www.kymesonet.org ). This network maintains 69 research-grade, in-situ weather and climate observing stations across the Commonwealth. Equivalent temperatures were calculated utilizing high-quality observations from 33 of these stations. In addition, the Kentucky Mesonet offers higher spatial and temporal resolution than previous research on this topic. As expected, the differences (TE − T) were greatest in the summer (smallest in the winter), with an average of 35 °C (5 °C). In general, the differences were found to be the largest in the western climate division. This is attributed to agricultural land use and poorly drained land. These differences are smaller during periods of drought, signifying less influence of moisture.
Feature Local Binary Patterns

This chapter presents a Feature Local Binary Patterns (FLBP) method that encodes both local and feature information, where the feature pixels may be broadly defined by, for example, the edge pixels, the intensity peaks or valleys in an image, or new feature information derived from the local binary patterns or LBP. FLBP thus is expected to perform better than LBP for texture description and pattern recognition. For a given pixel and its nearest feature pixel, a distance vector is first formed by pointing from the given pixel to the feature pixel. A True Center (TC), which is the center pixel of a neighborhood, is then located on the distance vector by a TC parameter. A Virtual Center (VC), which replaces the center pixel of the neighborhood, is specified on the distance vector by a VC parameter. FLBP is then defined by comparing the neighbors of the true center with the virtual center. Note that when both the TC and VC parameters are zero, FLBP degenerates to LBP, which indicates that LBP is a special case of FLBP. Other special cases of FLBP include FLBP1 when the VC parameter is zero and FLBP2 when the TC parameter is zero.
Competing on Resources: Strategy in the 1990s

As recently as ten years ago, we thought we knew most of what we needed to know about strategy. Portfolio planning, the experience curve, PIMS, Porter's five forces-tools like these brought rigor and legitimacy to strategy at both the business-unit and the corporate level. Leading companies, such as General Electric, built large staffs that reflected growing confidence in the value of strategic planning. Strategy consulting boutiques expanded rapidly and achieved widespread recognition. How different the landscape looks today. The armies of planners have all but disappeared, swept away by the turbulence of the past decade. On multiple fronts, strategy has come under fire.
Histologic Criteria for Diagnosis and Classification of Acute Leukemias

As a rule, acute leukemias are diagnosed and classified on the basis of Wright or Giemsa-stained blood and bone marrow smears. When a good marrow sample is obtained, histologic study of the tissue sections only rarely contributes to the diagnosis or classification. There are certain circumstances, however, under which histologic study of tissue sections may be essential to the diagnosis of acute leukemia. This is usually the case in the aleukemic patient when the marrow smear is poor in cells and some of these cells appear immature without being readily classifiable, or when a biopsy from an extramedullary lesion precedes a bone marrow study or is taken at a time when clear-cut leukemic changes in the bone marrow are not evident.
The Public Health Significance of Sexually Transmitted Diseases for HIV Infection in Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, the primary mode of transmission of HIV is through heterosexual intercourse. Numerous studies, both retrospective (1-13) and prospective (14-16), have demonstrated a relationship between sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV infection. Initially, it was thought that STDs might just be markers of high-risk sexual behavior. It is now postulated that STDs are co-factors in facilitating the sexual transmission of HIV. As a result, scientists and public health officials have called for the urgent enhancement of existing STD programs, or implementation of new programs, as an important strategy in AIDS prevention.
Discovery and Nonclinical Development

The Discovery Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Nonclinical Development and Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 IND-Enabling Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Added Discovery Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
The impact of primary care access on mortality in lung cancer patients from Bronx, New York.

e18614Background: Racial and ethnic disparities in cancer care are well described. Lack of access to primary care physicians (PCPs) may be an important contributor to disparities attributed to race...
Integration of Onshore Wind Farms to a Weak AC Grid Interfacing LCC HVDC Transmission

This chapter presents three case studies relating challenges of interfacing doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)-based onshore wind farms in weak AC grids with line-commutated converter (LCC) HVDC. The first study focuses on modeling and analysis of the impact of inertia and effective short circuit ratio on control of frequency in such weak grids. In the second study, coupling between frequency dynamics of the AC systems on both inverter and rectifier side of LCC-HVDC with the rectifier station operating in frequency control is studied, along with the presence of large DFIG-based wind farms on the weak rectifier-side grid. The third study illustrates the effectiveness of converting conventional generators to synchronous condensers to improve frequency dynamics in weak grid systems following loss of infeed from a wind farm. The effectiveness of secondary frequency control through LCC HVDC is also investigated.
A panel analysis of income inequality and energy use

This paper investigates the relationship between energy consumption and income inequality in an unbalanced panel of 147 countries over the period 1990 - 2014. Using a variety of panel and dynamic panel methods and controlling for other determinants of inequality, such as education, health, investment, etc., I find a large and strong negative relationship between access to energy and income inequality. Moreover, I demonstrate that greater access reduces the share of income enjoyed by the top 20% and increases the share for the bottom 20%. Results are less robust when the sample is divided into regions and economic 'blocs', but the overall results are unchanged.
Approximate selective inference via maximum likelihood

This article proposes post-selective inference for Gaussian models via approximate maximum likelihood. Our proposal serves two key goals: (i) efficient utility of hold-out information from selection by exploiting randomization; (ii) computational ease by bypassing expensive MCMC samplers from intractable conditional distributions. At the core of our method is the solution to a convex optimization problem that assumes a separable form across multiple learning queries during selection. Our proposal allows us to tackle efficient and tractable inference in many practical scenarios where more than one query informs inference. We illustrate the potential of our approximate method in comparisons with existing strategies across wide ranging signal-to-noise regimes and on gene expression data from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas).
Urbanization decreases the extent and variety of leaf herbivory for native canopy tree species Quercus rubra, Quercus alba, and Acer saccharum

The extent to which urban trees can support associated biodiversity and provide ecosystem services depends on how urbanization affects the relationship between plants and the herbivorous arthropods that feed on them. Previous studies suggest that urbanization tends to increase the abundance, but decrease the diversity of herbivorous arthropods, but also reveal that this pattern may be an artifact of a narrow focus on pests and ornamental plants. We aimed to assess the effect of urbanization on whole leaf herbivore communities of three native canopy trees, red oak (Quercus rubra), white oak (Quercus alba), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum). For each species we compared the extent of herbivory (assessed as percent leaf loss) and diversity of herbivores (using the number of identifiable damage types as a proxy for feeding guild diversity) between sites in southeast Michigan that were more forested vs. more urbanized (with lower tree density and canopy coverage and higher percent hardscape and turf). We found that across all three species and sites compared, both the percent leaf area lost to herbivory and the number of different types of herbivory were consistently and significantly higher in forested than urbanized sites. While future studies are needed to confirm the mechanisms responsible, we conclude that at least for native canopy tree species, trees in more urbanized sites do not appear to experience higher herbivory, and instead support diminished herbivore communities compared to the same trees in a more forested setting.