cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimal effectiveness of native and non-native seeding following three high-severity wildfires

The rationale for seeding following high-severity wildfires is to enhance plant cover and reduce bare ground, thus decreasing the potential for soil erosion and non-native plant invasion. However, experimental tests of the effectiveness of seeding in meeting these objectives in forests are lacking. We conducted three experimental studies of theeffectivenessofseedingwithnon-nativeandnativespeciesfollowingthreeArizonawildfires.Seedingtreatmentswere largely ineffective in increasing vegetative cover or decreasing exposed bare ground. At one treatment at one fire, wheat seeding at the Warm Fire, senesced seeded annuals increased litter cover and resulted in lower bare ground values than unseeded controls. Only on one fire, the Warm Fire, did seeded non-native annuals establish well, resulting in 20-29% vegetativecover. Onthe other two fires, seeded cereal grainsaccounted foro3% cover.At all fires,native seeded species contributed between o1 and ,12% vegetative cover. Vegetative cover on all treatments, including unseeded treatments, was at or near 40% the first year following fire, at all three study sites. Non-native species richness and abundance did not differ among treatments at any fire. This study adds to growing evidence that post-fire seeding is ineffective in enhancing post-fire plant cover and reducing invasive non-native plants.
Temperature Tuning of Two-Beam Coupling in InP:Fe at 1.32 µm

We report on temperature tuning photorefractive two-beam coupling experiments with InP:Fe with an applied dc-field. A maximum two-wave mixing (TWM) gain of Γ=7.5 cm−1 for a field strength of 8 kV/cm with a pump intensity of 148.6 mW/cm2 and a signal-to-pump ratio β=650 at the resonance temperature Tres= 25°C is observed. It was found that resonance temperature varies with pump intensities according to the theoretical model. Our measurements show that for pump intensities 50-250 mW/cm2 the resonance temperature varies from 18-32 °C.
Solar hydrogen generation over CdS incorporated in Ti-MCM-48 mesoporous materials under visible light illumination

Abstract MCM-48 cubic mesoporous materials containing CdS and spatially isolated titania nanoclusters were prepared in this study. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption isotherm, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies were employed for the characterization of the CdS containing Ti-MCM-48 mesoporous materials. In the current study, all the samples showed photocatalytic activity under visible light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation for production of hydrogen from splitting of water without Pt as a co-catalyst. The solar hydrogen evolution rate by visible light irradiation seemed to be dependent on CdS and TiO2 content and the most active photocatalyst produced hydrogen at a rate of 2.726 mmol/h/gcatalyst. The apparent quantum yield of the most active photocatalyst was estimated to be 36.3%.
New State Equality: The Ambiguous History of a Constitutional Principle

In Coyle v. Smith (1911), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress could not impose admissions conditions on new states that detracted from their equal standing in the union. Previously, the Court had deferred to Congress' authority over federal territory and over its own membership. Before the Civil War, federal interests in new states-particularly with respect to public lands-were secured through admissions conditions. Later, however, admissions "compacts" became increasingly redundant; the Court grounded federal property claims in the new states on the "rules and regulations" provision of the Constitution. Meanwhile, in a series of decisions, the Court began to uphold the "municipal sovereignty" of the territories against congressional interference. Congress' authority in the territories was progressively limited to that of acting as "trustee" for future states. These doctrinal developments culminated in Coyle. The Court challenged Congress' right to set invidious admission conditions and asserted its own jurisdiction over the state-making process. The new state equality principle thus became "constitutional" as the Court extended its authority.
Slosh Damping with Floating Electro-active Micro-baffles

Liquid sloshing within propellant tanks of launch vehicles and other major vehicles has been a major concern. Various methods have been utilized for the damping of slosh through Propellant Management Devices (PMD) accomplishing a wide range of results. Exploratory research conducted at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Fuel Slosh Test Facility in development of an innovative PMD is presented. Embedding floating micro-baffles with an electro-active material such that the baffle can be manipulated when exposed to a magnetic field preserves the benefits of both floating and static baffle designs. Activated micro-baffles form a rigid layer at the free surface and provide a restriction of the fluid motion. Proposed micro-baffle design and magnetic activation source method along with proof-of-concept experiments comparing the scope of this research to previous PMD methods are presented. A computational fluid dynamics approach is outlined. Preliminary proof-of-concept testing indicates floating electro-active micro-baffles reduce the damping time of sloshing by up to 88% as compared to the same slosh condition with the absence of any PMDs.
Influence of blood glucose levels on growth hormone secretion in sheep.

SummaryConcentrations of plasma GH, as estimated by radioimmunoassay, did not change significantly in sheep during the 72 hr after feeding; however, the concentrations of blood glucose and plasma insulin decreased and levels of plasma FFA increased markedly. Furthermore, insulin-induced hypoglycemia was not a stimulus for GH secretion. Rapidly falling blood glucose levels from normal or hyperglycemic levels stimulated an increase in plasma GH concentration of short duration. Growth hormone disappeared from plasma with a half-life of 8.6 to 14.7 min. Growth hormone was distributed in a volume equal to 5.0% of body weight. The average GH secretion in 40-kg sheep was estimated to be 0.7 μg/kg/hr.
Liberal Jurisprudence and the Literal Grammar of Marriage Equalit(y)(ies)

This article employs linguistic anthropological methods to examine the debate over whether equal protection doctrine requires legal recognition of same-sex couples’ marriages. It focuses on oral arguments at the Supreme Court of California in the seminal In re Marriage Cases (2008). I argue that the contested use of equal protection terminology simultaneously displays the cultural neutrality of liberal jurisprudence and harbors cultural ideologies about sexual orientation. During oral argument, this duality compressed into grammatical competition over a single shorthand term, equalit(y)(ies). Selecting the singular versus plural form reproduced counterbalanced arguments in favor of uniform equality through marriage or comparable equalities through domestic partnership status. But the ideologies hidden within the grammatical nuance also provided flexibility to overcome that inertia at particular moments.
Trends in Undergraduate Economics Degrees, 1991–2010

The trend in U.S. undergraduate economics degrees continued its upward trajectory in 2009–10.
Do Donors Care About Results? An Analysis of Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations

ABSTRACT:Nonprofits are facing increasing pressure to measure and demonstrate their performance outcomes. However, we know little about the relationship between a nonprofit’s performance and its ability to attract donations. Do donors value an organization’s performance information when making giving decisions? We find that organizations that are more successful (i.e., attract larger audiences to their programs and more visitors to their websites) tend to receive fewer contributions. Despite a growing culture of performance measurement, the empirical evidence does not provide strong support of its relevance among donors. A plausible theoretical reasoning is that better performance outcomes create the image of success, making organizations look less needy. These results call for more research on the link between performance outcomes and philanthropy.
MEDIASTINAL BIOPSY FOR INDETERMINATE PULMONARY AND MEDIASTINAL LESIONS.

SUMMARY A simple operative technique is described which permits direct exploration of the mediastinal contents to determine diagnosis and operability of pulmonary or mediastinal lesions. This technique is indicated where conventional methods of diagnosis, including bronchoscopy, cytology, and scalene node biopsy, have failed to produce a diagnosis. It can also be used to assess the resectability of pulmonary or mediastinal lesions without the necessity of formal thoracotomy. It is of particular value in poor risk patients in whom an unnecessary thoracotomy may be avoided.
Abstract 2445: Cytoplasmic mislocalization of p27 promotes metastasis and its autoantibody correlates with prognosis in osteosarcoma

Development of metastasis is the major cause of death in osteosarcoma, which is the most common malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. However, detection of metastasis relies solely on imaging techniques and targeted treatments of metastatic patients are still not available to improve the dismal outcome. Using an immunoproteomic approach, we identified that p27 autoantibody was significantly elevated in the plasma of high-risk osteosarcoma patients. Results of immunohistochemistry showed that cytoplasmic mislocalization of p27 occurred in a majority of osteosarcoma cases and in highly metastatic osteosarcoma cell lines. We demonstrated that ectopic expression of cytoplasmic p27 and shRNA-mediated gene silencing promoted and inhibited, respectively, the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. Additionally, a mutation in S10 or T198, but not T157, phosphosite abolished the pro-migration and invasion phenotypes of cytoplasmic p27, possibly through a RhoA-related mechanism. Furthermore, mice injected with cells carrying cytoplasmic p27 increased the development of pulmonary metastasis when compared to an empty vector control. Lastly, using a large cohort of serum samples (n = 233), we showed that a higher level of the p27 autoantibody significantly correlated with poor overall and event-free survival of osteosarcoma (p Citation Format: Manjula Nakka, Yiting Li, Aaron J. Kelly, Ching C. Lau, Mark Krailo, Donald A. Barkauskas, John Hicks, Tsz-Kwong Man. Cytoplasmic mislocalization of p27 promotes metastasis and its autoantibody correlates with prognosis in osteosarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2445.
Dysfunction of sensory oscillations in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly prevalent developmental disability characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Recently, anomalous sensory and perceptual function has gained an increased level of recognition as an important feature of ASD. A specific impairment in the ability to integrate information across brain networks has been proposed to contribute to these disruptions. A crucial mechanism for these integrative processes is the rhythmic synchronization of neuronal excitability across neural populations; collectively known as oscillations. In ASD there is believed to be a deficit in the ability to efficiently couple functional neural networks using these oscillations. This review discusses evidence for disruptions in oscillatory synchronization in ASD, and how disturbance of this neural mechanism contributes to alterations in sensory and perceptual function. The review also frames oscillatory data from the perspective of prevailing neurobiologically-inspired theories of ASD.
Comparison of composite prostate radiotherapy plan doses with dependent and independent boost phases

Prostate cases commonly consist of dual phase planning with a primary plan followed by a boost. Traditionally, the boost phase is planned independently from the primary plan with the risk of generating hot or cold spots in the composite plan. Alternatively, boost phase can be planned taking into account the primary dose. The aim of this study was to compare the composite plans from independently and dependently planned boosts using dosimetric and radiobiological metrics. Ten consecutive prostate patients previously treated at our institution were used to conduct this study on the Raystation™ 4.0 treatment planning system. For each patient, two composite plans were developed: a primary plan with an independently planned boost and a primary plan with a dependently planned boost phase. The primary plan was prescribed to 54 Gy in 30 fractions to the primary planning target volume (PTV1) which includes prostate and seminal vesicles, while the boost phases were prescribed to 24 Gy in 12 fractions to the boost planning target volume (PTV2) that targets only the prostate. PTV coverage, max dose, median dose, target conformity, dose homogeneity, dose to OARs, and probabilities of benefit, injury, and complication-free tumor control (P+) were compared. Statistical significance was tested using either a 2-tailed Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Dosimetrically, the composite plan with dependent boost phase exhibited smaller hotspots, lower maximum dose to the target without any significant change to normal tissue dose. Radiobiologically, for all but one patient, the percent difference in the P+ values between the two methods was not significant. A large percent difference in P+ value could be attributed to an inferior primary plan. The benefits of considering the dose in primary plan while planning the boost is not significant unless a poor primary plan was achieved.
Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Cytokine Modulation of Epithelial Physiology

We have developed a robust and well-defined primary cell culture model of human fetal retinal pigment epithelium (hfRPE). This model was used to analyze how metabolic waste products produced in the retina can be disposed of by CO2/HCO3 and lactate transporters in the apical and basolateral cell membranes. It was also used to analyze RPE antioxidant mechanisms protective against disease processes, such as age-related macular degeneration or uveitis, and to define the impact of cytokines and, in particular, interferon gamma, on RPE function and physiology.
Building a research data science platform from industrial machines

Data Science research has a long history in academia which spans from large-scale data management, to data mining and data analysis using technologies from database management systems (DBMS's). While traditional HPC offers tools on leveraging existing technologies with data processing needs, the large volume of data and the speed of data generation pose significant challenges. Using the Hadoop platform and tools built on top of it drew immense interest from academia after it gained success in industry. Georgia Institute of Technology received a donation of 200 compute nodes from Yahoo. Turning these industrial machines into a research Data Science Platform (DSP) poses unique challenges, such as: nontrivial hardware design decisions, configuration tool choices, node integration into existing HPC infrastructure, partitioning resource to meet different application needs, software stack choices, etc. We have 40 nodes up and running, 24 running as a Hadoop and Spark cluster, 12 running as a HBase and OpenTSDB cluster, the others running as service nodes. We successfully tested it against Spark Machine Learning algorithms using a 88GB image dataset, Spark DataFrame and GraphFrame with a Wikipedia dataset, and Hadoop MapReduce wordcount on a 300GB dataset. The OpenTSDB cluster is for real-time time series data ingestion and storage for sensor data. We are working on bringing up more nodes. We share our first-hand experience gained in our journey, which we believe will benefit and inspire other academic institutions.
Convolutional neural network based deep-learning architecture for prostate cancer detection on multiparametric magnetic resonance images

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in men. Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is the most accurate imaging method for PCa detection; however, it requires the expertise of experienced radiologists leading to inconsistency across readers of varying experience. To increase inter-reader agreement and sensitivity, we developed a computer-aided detection (CAD) system that can automatically detect lesions on mpMRI that readers can use as a reference. We investigated a convolutional neural network based deep-learing (DCNN) architecture to find an improved solution for PCa detection on mpMRI. We adopted a network architecture from a state-of-the-art edge detector that takes an image as an input and produces an image probability map. Two-fold cross validation along with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and free-response ROC (FROC) were used to determine our deep-learning based prostate-CAD’s (CADDL) performance. The efficacy was compared to an existing prostate CAD system that is based on hand-crafted features, which was evaluated on the same test-set. CADDL had an 86% detection rate at 20% false-positive rate while the top-down learning CAD had 80% detection rate at the same false-positive rate, which translated to 94% and 85% detection rate at 10 false-positives per patient on the FROC. A CNN based CAD is able to detect cancerous lesions on mpMRI of the prostate with results comparable to an existing prostate-CAD showing potential for further development.
Channel Power Optimization of WDM Systems Following Gaussian Noise Nonlinearity Model in Presence of Stimulated Raman Scattering

The impact of interchannel stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) on optimization of channel powers to maximize the minimum channel margin is examined using a discrete Gaussian noise model for the Kerr nonlinearity. The simultaneous consideration of these two nonlinear effects is found to be incompatible with the goal of a convex SNR expression that can be optimized globally. A sequence of convex optimizations is employed to obtain a locally optimal solution, along with a bound on the degree of suboptimality. Optimization results obtained are most accurate for Gaussian-distributed signals, such as probabilistically shaped high-order-modulated signals. In a dispersion-uncompensated 4000-km fiber system utilizing the full C -band with perfect per-span SRS gain compensation, power optimization yields benefits of 0.25 to 2 dB over optimal spectrally flat power allocations. In systems including both C- and L -band, an optimization method that accounts for both SRS and Kerr nonlinearity effects provides a 0.23 to 0.60 dB margin benefit over a method compensating for SRS gain alone. In a system spanning only the C -band, per-span SRS gain compensation is not critical, as the maximum benefit is a 0.14 dB gain in minimum margin for optimized power allocations. By contrast, in a system spanning both C- and L -band, per-span SRS gain compensation provides a gain of up to 1.23 dB with optimized power allocations and larger gains with suboptimal power allocations.
Comparison between CT- and MRI-derived head and neck cancer target volumes using an integrated MRI-tri-60Co teletherapy device

Radiation treatment planning is typically based on the identification of a gross tumor volume (GTV) using computed tomography (CT). The clinical implementation of an integrated MRI-radiation therapy delivery unit allows for a strict comparison of CT- and MRI-derived GTVs for head and neck cancer. Twenty-six consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were selected and planned for intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on a novel tri-60Co teletherapy system equipped with a 0.35 T MRI (ViewRay Incorporated, Oakwood Village, OH). All patients had measurable disease. Pre-treatment MRIs were imported into a contouring interface where the primary GTV were assessed and compared to those obtained from a registered CT with the patient in the identical position and immobilization apparatus. The median GTV as derived from the CT and MRI was 27.2 cm3 (range 3.8 to 155.0 cm3) and 34.9 cm3 (range, 5.0 to 189.5 cm3), respectively (p = 0.01). The MRI-derived GTV was larger than the CT-derived GTV in 21 of the 26 cases and was smaller in the remaining 5 cases. Among the 21 cases where the MRI-derived GTV was larger, the median difference in absolute GTV per individual patient was 6.9 cm3 (range 2.1 to 33.4 cm3), representing a 25% difference on average. The median concordance index for patients with de novo versus recurrent disease was 0.83 and 0.66, respectively (p = 0.03). Significant differences in GTV extent were noted between MRI- and CT-derived ViewRay images. The implications for treatment planning are discussed.
ATYPICAL HEMOLYTIC UREMIC SYNDROME PRESENTING AS MYOCARDITIS AND CARDIOGENIC SHOCK IN AN ADULT

To our knowledge, atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) causing myocarditis in adults has not been previously reported. A 33 year-old female with a history of Kikuchi disease and immune thrombocytopenia was admitted for cholangitis. A CT Abdomen showed biliary ductal dilation as well as a small
Mitochondrial Tethers and Their Impact on Lifespan in Budding Yeast

Tethers that link mitochondria to other organelles are critical for lipid and calcium transport as well as mitochondrial genome replication and fission of the organelle. Here, we review recent advances in the characterization of interorganellar mitochondrial tethers in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We specifically focus on evidence for a role for mitochondrial tethers that anchor mitochondria to specific regions within yeast cells. These tethering events contribute to two processes that are critical for normal replicative lifespan: inheritance of fitter mitochondria by daughter cells, and retention of a small pool of higher-functioning mitochondria in mother cells. Since asymmetric inheritance of mitochondria also occurs in human mammary stem-like cells, it is possible that mechanisms underlying mitochondrial segregation in yeast also operate in other cell types.
Effects of Major League Baseball on Economic Development in the Dominican Republic

This paper examines the growing economic impact of MLB on the Dominican economy. After introducing the Dominican baseball experience, it examines the rapid growth of salaries paid to Dominican-born major league players and provides perspective on how the growth in those salaries relates to growth in Dominican GDP. Because relatively few players account for most of the earnings by Dominican MLB players, the spending and investment patterns of these particular individuals are explored. The paper also examines the growing economic impact of the MLB academies at the grassroots level in Dominican neighborhoods.
A low-power hardware search architecture for speech recognition

High-performance speech recognition is extremely computationally expensive, limiting its use in the mobile domain. We therefore propose a low-power hardware speech recognition architecture for mobile applications, exploiting the orders-of-magnitude efficiency improvements dedicated hardware can offer. Our system is based on the Sphinx 3.0 software recognizer developed at Carnegie Mellon University, capable of large-vocabulary, speaker-independent, continuous, real-time speech recognition. We show through cycle-accurate simulation that our hardware, targeting the backend search stage of recognition, is capable of recognizing speech from a 5,000 word vocabulary 1.3 times faster than real-time, within a 196mW power budget.
Hunger and appetite after single doses of marihuana, alcohol, and dextroamphetamine.

Supported in part by Grant MH 03030, National Institute of Mental Health. Marihuana smoking or hashish ingestion has long been reported to increase hunger and appetite. "Marihuana hunger" was described as coming on for 3 to 6 hours following the drug, with a special craving for sweets.' Another modern investigation' found that subjects did not experience hunger during the first 3 hours despite fasting; but when food was offered, they ate with great relish. Such reports apparently led to the assumption that marihuana lowers blood glucose. Several recent studies", s have, however, demonstrated that neither smoked marihuana in small doses nor orally ingested tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC) in large doses has any significant effect on plasma glucose levels. To test whether or not marihuana stimulates hunger and appetite, food consumption was measured systematically after fasted subjects were treated with marihuana, alcohol, dextroamphetamine, and a placebo in one experiment and after fed subjects'received marihuana, alcohol, and placebo in a second experiment.
Suggestions for Change: Education, Policy, and Communication

Everyone should have access to affordable, convenient, and effective assessment and pain management. The concepts for improving pain management in our society encompass three broad areas, education, policy, and communication. This is not to ignore reimbursement. However, because of the Federal and State involvement with Medicare and Medicaid, real changes in compensation for pain care reside in policy changes, and most of these are fundamentally with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Since most insurance carriers model off of reimbursement rates and strategies from CMS, that seems to be the most logical place to start the wheels of change into motion.
Doing Right Matters in Doing Good: The Role of CSR Fit on Building Company Credibility and Reputation Through Consumer Attributions

This study aims to examine the effects of CSR fit and source on corporate credibility and investigate how consumers’ attributions of CSR impact corporate credibility, reputations, and ultimately influence consumer purchase intention and word-of mouth (WOM). Study 1 compared the group differences on corporate credibility by conducting a 2 x 2 between-subjects experiment. The results indicated a good fit positively influenced corporate credibility. Study 2 applied the attribution theory and conducted an experiment to compare how different fit levels influence consumers attributions on CSR activities, and ultimately affect corporate credibility and reputation, as well as consumer purchase intention and WOM.
Current burden of chemotherapy induced anemia and patterns of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents utilization.

e18765Background: Chemotherapy Induced Anemia (CIA) is a known complication that can result in negative outcomes. Treatment can consist of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and/or blood tran...
PI3K activation within ventromedial prefrontal cortex regulates the expression of drug-seeking in two rodent species.

Phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are intracellular signal transducer enzymes that recruit protein kinase B (aka Akt) to the cell membrane, the subsequent activation of which regulates many cellular functions. PI3K/Akt activity is up-regulated within mesocorticolimbic structures in animal models of alcoholism, but less is known regarding PI3K/Akt activity in animal models of cocaine addiction. Given that prefrontal cortex (PFC) is grossly dysregulated in addiction, we studied how cocaine affects protein indices of PFC PI3K/Akt activity in rat and mouse models and examined the relevance of PI3K activity for cocaine-related learning. Immunoblotting of mouse medial PFC at 3 weeks withdrawal from a cocaine-sensitization regimen (seven injections of 30 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [IP]) revealed increased kinase activity, as did immunoblotting of tissue from the ventral PFC of rats with a history of long-access intravenous cocaine self-administration (0.25 mg/0.1 mL infusion; 10 days of 6 h/d cocaine access). Interestingly, increased Akt phosphorylation was observed in rat ventromedial PFC at both 3- and 30-day withdrawal only in animals re-exposed to cocaine-associated cues. A conditioned place-preference paradigm in mice and a cue-elicited drug-seeking test in rats were conducted to determine the functional relevance for elevated PI3K activity for addiction-related behavior. In both cases, an intra-PFC infusion of the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin (50μM) reduced drug-seeking behavior. Taken together, this cross-species, interdisciplinary, study provides convincing evidence that cocaine history produces an enduring increase in PI3K/Akt-dependent signaling within the more ventral aspect of the PFC that is relevant to behavioral reactivity to drug-associated cues/contexts. As such, PI3K inhibitors may well serve as an effective strategy for reducing drug cue reactivity and craving in cocaine addiction.
Critical Phenomena in Interconnection Networks with Heterogeneous Activity

Theoretical models and numerical results for performance of the computer interconnection networks with heterogeneous activity are presented. The networks are modeled as a ring or as 2-dim toroidal square lattice of nodes with local processors with two or, respectively, four output ports/buffers. The processors generate messages with two different rates, λ 1 or λ 2 , per clock cycle and per output buffer, depending on the intensity of the flow of the arriving messages. The average queue lengths and average latencies are obtained. The model of independent queues and the Jackson theorem are not applicable for this type of networks. It is shown that the networks undergo the phase transition of the second order with non-trivial critical exponents.
IFN-γ-dependent nitric oxide suppresses Brucella-induced arthritis by inhibition of inflammasome activation

Brucellosis, caused by the intracellular bacterial pathogen Brucella, is a globally important zoonotic disease for which arthritis is the most common focal complication in humans. Wild-type mice infected systemically with Brucella typically do not exhibit arthritis, but mice lacking IFN-γ develop arthritis regardless of the route of Brucella infection. Here, we investigated mechanisms by which IFN-γ suppresses Brucella-induced arthritis. Several cell types, including innate lymphoid cells, contributed to IFN-γ production and suppression of joint swelling. IFN-γ deficiency resulted in elevated joint IL-1β levels, and severe joint inflammation that was entirely inflammasome dependent, and in particular, reliant on the NLRP3 inflammasome. IFN-γ was vital for induction of the nitric oxide producing enzyme, iNOS, in infected joints, and nitric oxide directly inhibited IL-1β production and inflammasome activation in Brucella-infected macrophages in vitro. During in vivo infection, iNOS deficiency resulted in an increase in IL-1β and inflammation in Brucella-infected joints. Collectively, this data indicate that IFN-γ prevents arthritis both by limiting Brucella infection, and by inhibiting excessive inflammasome activation through the induction of nitric oxide.
Maternal outcomes in unexpected placenta accreta spectrum disorders: single-center experience with a multidisciplinary team.

Objective In a 2015 Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network study, only half of placenta accreta spectrum cases were suspected before delivery, and the outcomes in the anticipated cases were paradoxically poorer than in unanticipated placenta accreta spectrum cases. This was possibly because the antenatally suspected cases were of greater severity. We sought to compare the outcomes of expected vs unexpected placenta accreta spectrum in a single large US center with multidisciplinary management protocol. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study carried out between Jan. 1, 2011, and June 30, 2018, of all histology-proven placenta accreta spectrum deliveries in an academic referral center. Patients diagnosed at the time of delivery were cases (unexpected placenta accreta spectrum), and those who were antentally diagnosed were controls (expected placenta accreta spectrume). The primary and secondary outcomes were the estimated blood loss and the number of red blood cell units transfused, respectively. Variables are reported as median and interquartile range or number (percentage). Analyses were made using appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests. Results Fifty-four of the 243 patients (22.2%) were in the unexpected placenta accreta spectrum group. Patients in the expected placenta accreta spectrum group had a higher rate of previous cesarean delivery (170 of 189 [89.9%] vs 35 of 54 [64.8%]; P Conclusion Our data contradict the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units results and instead show better outcomes in the expected placenta accreta spectrum group, despite a high proportion of women with more severe placental invasion. We attribute this to our multidisciplinary approach and ongoing process improvement in the management of expected cases. The presence of an experienced team appears to be a more important determinant of maternal morbidity in placenta accreta spectrum than the depth of placental invasion.
P137 Food Insecure Students Identify Price as the Most Important Determinant of Their Food Choices

Background Food insecurity is a growing concern among US higher education institutions. Research is needed to understand the impact of food insecurity on food choice priorities when designing interventions for college students. Objective To examine the factors that influence decisions about food between food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) college students. Study Design, Settings, Participants Cross-sectional study among first year students from eight US universities (N = 857). Measurable Outcome/Analysis Food choice priorities (14-item Likert scale survey and priority factor rankings) and food security status (USDA Adult Food Security Module). Independent samples t-tests comparing food choice priorities by student food security status. Results Food insecurity was prevalent with 19% (n = 163) of students reporting inconsistent access to food in the past year. Compared to FS students, FI students rated price, perceived stress, and the ability to feel full as being significantly more important when making food decisions (P Conclusion Findings suggest that FI students are making decisions about food differently than FS students and that price is the most important determinant. Initiatives to address FI should consider and assess how the intervention impacts students’ decisions about food. Funding None.
K-Wire Fixation of Metacarpal and Phalangeal Fractures: Association Between Superficial Landmarks and Penetration of Structures Surrounding the Metacarpophalangeal Joint

Purpose There is little information regarding the starting points for intramedullary K-wires and their effect on the soft tissues surrounding the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. This study attempted to identify starting points for intramedullary K-wire fixation and determine the effect of these K-wires on soft tissues surrounding the MCP joint. Methods We placed intramedullary K-wires in the index, middle, and little finger metacarpals and proximal phalanges in 6 cadaveric specimens. We measured the starting points of the K-wires and performed dissection to evaluate which structures were penetrated. A Fisher exact test determined statistical significance between K-wire penetration of soft tissue structures and the starting point for K-wires. Results Metacarpal K-wires started 8.5 ± 1.5 mm volar to the dorsal aspect of the metacarpal head, 19.1 ± 4.6 mm proximal to the digital palmar crease, and 8.6 ± 1.2 mm from the metacarpal head midline. All MCP K-wires crossed at least one soft tissue structure about the MCP joint; the most commonly the sagittal band. Proximal phalanx K-wires started 8.9 ± 2.9 mm proximal to the distal aspect of the metacarpal head, 25.5 ± 5.9 mm proximal to the digital palmar crease, and 9.9 ± 1.5 mm from metacarpal head midline. All proximal phalanx K-wires crossed at least one soft tissue structure about the MCP, most commonly the joint capsule. No relation was established between K-wire start point and penetration of soft tissue structures. Conclusions Use of these measurements may aid the physician in placing intramedullary K-wires into the proximal phalanges and metacarpals. Starting points that decrease the rate of penetration of soft tissue structures around the MCP joint have not been described, and all pins crossed at least one soft tissue structure adjacent to the MCP joint. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV
Improved melanoma outcomes and survival in patients monitored by total body photography: A natural experiment.

Total body photography (TBP) facilitates early melanoma detection, but long-term outcomes have not been well studied. Our objectives were to examine melanoma diagnoses, role of TBP-associated follow-up visits, and survival in patients monitored by TBP. A total of 1955 patients meeting inclusion criteria received TBP from 2004-2013 at a single academic center. We compared the melanoma diagnoses and overall survival of 1253 patients with any follow-up visits (median, three visits; range, 1-18) and 702 patients with no follow-up visits. Use of TBP photographs influenced decision to biopsy 66 of 121 (54.5%) melanomas diagnosed after TBP. Lower invasive melanoma Breslow depth was significantly associated with having one or more follow-up visit (median, 0.83 vs 0.33 mm; P = .002) and photographic review (median, 0.31 vs 0.48 mm; P = 0.02). In multivariable analyses, greater overall survival was significantly associated with having one or more follow-up visit after TBP (hazard ratio [HR], 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14-0.91; P < 0.032) and having more than 100 nevi (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22-0.64; P = 0.004). Worse overall survival was significantly associated with increasing age (HR per year, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.08; P < 0.001) and male sex (HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.48-4.73; P = 0.001). Thus, monitoring by TBP was associated with subsequent melanoma diagnoses of lower stage and depth and greater overall survival.
Dietary Advanced Glycation End-products (AGE) and Risk of Breast Cancer in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO)

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases including cancer. AGEs are produced endogenously but can also be consumed from foods. AGE formation in food is accelerated during cooking at high temperatures. Certain high fat or highly processed foods have high AGE values. The objective of the study was to assign and quantify Nϵ-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML)-AGE content in food and investigate the association between dietary AGE intake and breast cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The study included women enrolled in the intervention arm who were cancer-free at baseline and completed a baseline questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire (DQX). CML-AGE values were assigned and quantified to foods in the DQX using a published AGE database. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of breast cancer among all women, and stratified by race/ethnicity, invasiveness of disease, and hormone receptor status. After a median 11.5 years of follow-up, 1,592 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Higher CML-AGE intake was associated with increased risk of breast cancer among all women (HRQ5VSQ1, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04–1.62; Ptrend = 0.04) and in non-Hispanic white women (HRT3VST1, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02–1.44). Increased CML-AGE intake was associated with increased risk of in situ (HRT3VST1, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.11–2.01) and hormone receptor–positive (HRT3VST1, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53) breast cancers. In conclusion, high intake of dietary AGE may contribute to increased breast cancer.
Improvement in Mortality With Early Fluid Bolus in Sepsis Patients With a History of Congestive Heart Failure

Abstract Objective To determine whether rapid administration of a crystalloid bolus of 30 mL/kg within 3 hours of presentation harms or benefits hypotensive patients with sepsis with a history of congestive heart failure (CHF). Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort study using Medicare claims data enhanced by medical record data from members of the High Value Healthcare Collaborative from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2015, examining patients with a history of CHF who did (fluid bundle compliant [FBC]) or did not (NFBC) receive a volume bolus of 30 mL/kg within 3 hours of presentation to the emergency department. A proportional Cox hazard model was used to evaluate the association of FBC with 1-year survival. Results Of the 211 patients examined, 190 were FBC and 21 were NFBC. The FBC patients had higher average hierarchical condition category scores but were otherwise similar to NFBC patients. The NFBC patients had higher adjusted in-hospital and postdischarge mortality rates. The risk-adjusted 1-year mortality rate was higher for NFBC patients (hazard ratio, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.0; P=.01) than for FBC patients. Conclusion In a retrospective claim data-based study of elderly patients with a history of CHF presenting with severe sepsis or septic shock, there is an association of improved mortality with adherence to the initial fluid resuscitation guidelines as part of the 3-hour sepsis bundle.
Dynamics of Euler-Bernoulli beams with unknown viscoelastic boundary conditions under a moving load

Abstract A new methodology is presented in this work to identify the viscoelastic boundary conditions and dynamical response of Euler-Bernoulli beams under a moving load. A new expression for the transmissibility function of the beam output responses with unknown viscoelastic boundary conditions with Voigt and more generalized four-element models is derived. The proposed identification method uses modal shapes with a pattern search optimization scheme. Finite element simulation was used to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. The acceleration response from different locations on the beam was utilized in the identification of the boundary conditions considering six optimization cases. The proposed method provided solutions of the boundaries that can satisfy the requirements of the natural frequencies and damping ratios simultaneously. The effects of the number of selected measurement locations, participant modes, and measurement noise on the accuracy of the resulting boundary parameters were investigated. The results showed that the use of three complex modes and eight measurement points provided an accurate estimation of the modal parameters and reduced the relative error effectively in the resulting eight unknown boundary coefficients, under noise-free and corrupted acceleration signals with 5% noise conditions.
Drones Minimize Antarctic Predator Responses Relative to Ground Survey Methods: An Appeal for Context in Policy Advice

Unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) have become common tools for ecological monitoring and management. However, UAS use has the potential to negatively affect wildlife. Both policy makers and practitioners require data about the potential impacts of UAS on natural biota, but few studies exist and some of the published results conflict. We conducted two experiments to assess the responses of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus), Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) to UAS overflights. First, to provide a baseline for assessing disturbance from UAS operations, we compare behavioral responses from UAS flights to those from traditional, ground surveys. Second, to inform users and policy makers about preferred flight methods, we assess behavioral and physiological responses to UAS flown at specific altitudes, during different stages of breeding chronology, and with other site factors. Between January 2017 and March 2018 we conducted 268 UAS flight approaches and 36 ground-based surveys at Cape Shirreff, Antarctic Peninsula. We applied generalized linear mixed effects models and Kruskal-Wallis tests to 10,164 behavioral scores obtained from three independent observers. When directly compared, behavioral responses by all species to UAS overflights at 30 m were not different from control periods, while responses to ground surveys were significantly more intense. Behavioral responses generally increased as UAS flew lower, and for penguins those increases intensified as the breeding season progressed (i.e., guard and molt stages). We argue that results from UAS wildlife response studies need to be assessed relative to the impacts of alternative methods, and within the ecological context of the target species. Finally, we suggest data-driven best practices for both UAS use and for the design of future UAS-wildlife response studies.
TIGER: inferring DNA replication timing from whole-genome sequence data.

Motivation Genomic DNA replicates according to a reproducible spatiotemporal program, with some loci replicating early in S phase while others replicate late. Despite being a central cellular process, DNA replication timing studies have been limited in scale due to technical challenges. Results We present TIGER (Timing Inferred from Genome Replication), a computational approach for extracting DNA replication timing information from whole genome sequence data obtained from proliferating cell samples. The presence of replicating cells in a biological specimen leads to non-uniform representation of genomic DNA that depends on the timing of replication of different genomic loci. Replication dynamics can hence be observed in genome sequence data by analyzing DNA copy number along chromosomes while accounting for other sources of sequence coverage variation. TIGER is applicable to any species with a contiguous genome assembly and rivals the quality of experimental measurements of DNA replication timing. It provides a straightforward approach for measuring replication timing and can readily be applied at scale. Availability and implementation TIGER is available at https://github.com/TheKorenLab/TIGER. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Navigating the diverse immune landscapes of psoriatic arthritis

The goal of remission in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has remained elusive despite the influx of a range of new therapies over the last 20 years. In contrast, therapeutic responses to agents that inhibit IL-23 or IL-17 have demonstrated impressive efficacy in psoriasis. In part, the divergent responses in these two disorders are likely related to the heterogeneity of tissue involvement in PsA and the interplay of multiple different cell populations and molecular pathways. In this narrative review, we will examine the plasticity of the immune response in PsA from the perspective of the Th17 cell and monocyte and discuss recent findings regarding the importance of CD8+ T resident cells in disease pathogenesis. We will then examine the effects of cytokines on epithelial cell and stromal populations and finally discuss new data regarding immune cell and tissue resident cell cross-talk in entheses and bone. Lastly, the potential therapeutic targets that have emerged from these investigations will be discussed.