cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Enterococcus faecalis alkaline phosphatase and use in identifying Streptococcus agalactiae secreted proteins.

Alkaline phosphatase is a metalloenzyme that catalyzes the nonspecific hydrolysis of a wide variety of phosphomonoesters (reviewed in reference 12). Alkaline phosphatases have been identified in a wide variety of organisms, including Escherichia coli and humans (5, 22). A conserved set of amino acids has been shown to be critical to catalysis, and both zinc and magnesium ions are essential for function (23). The structure of the E. coli alkaline phosphatase has been refined to a resolution of 2.0 Å (24). Expression is induced in E. coli by phosphate limitation, and control of expression has been extensively investigated (reviewed in reference 39). E. coli alkaline phosphatase (encoded by phoA) is synthesized as a precursor with a cleavable N-terminal signal sequence (20). In E. coli, the cytoplasm is a reducing environment while the periplasm has a disulfide bond-forming enzymatic system. These contrasting redox environments are thought to limit the formation of essential disulfide bonds to the periplasm and may account for the export-dependent activity of alkaline phosphatase (4). Investigators working with gram-negative bacteria have exploited the location-sensitive activity of E. coli alkaline phosphatase for many different tasks, including the identification of genes encoding secreted proteins and integral membrane proteins (6), the analysis of membrane protein topology (9), and the discovery of insertion-tolerant sites within a membrane protein (28). The E. coli alkaline phosphatase enzyme (encoded by phoA) exhibits reduced activity in a gram-positive background, possibly due to the absence of an extracytoplasmic enzyme with disulfide bond-forming activity (30). In contrast with the E. coli enzyme, much less is known about the regulation, processing, structure, and activity of alkaline phosphatases from gram-positive bacteria. The most advanced studies have been performed in Bacillus subtilis, where a complex pathway involving three two-component regulatory systems controls the phosphatase loci (reviewed in reference 19). In this report we describe the identification and characterization of the Enterococcus faecalis alkaline phosphatase protein (AP, encoded by phoZ). Expression of phoZ conferred a blue-colony phenotype in E. coli and three gram-positive species on 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolylphosphate (XP or BCIP) agar. Alkaline phosphatase activity was quantified, and in all strains the activity per cell was shown to be minimal when AP was retained in the cytoplasm. The activity per cell increased substantially when AP was exported, suggesting that the activity of AP is export dependent. We exploited these characteristics to identify random group B streptococcus (GBS) chromosomal fragments that encoded signal sequence-like peptides.
Watershed liming effects on the forest floor N cycle

The forest floor was expected to play a major role in determining the total ecosystem response to watershed liming because of its high concentration of nutrients and its high level of activity. Net N mineralization and net nitrification were estimated in a field survey using the buried-bag approach. In a laboratory incubation experiment, forest floor humus was mixed with 6 doses of lime to determine the sensitivity of N mineralization and nitrification to lime dose. Forest floor microcosms with and without live tree roots were used to calculate a N budget for the system.
Persisting Problems of Adults with Learning Disabilities Self-Reported Comparisons From Their School-Age and Adult Years

The issue of persistence of learning disabilities into the adult years was investigated. The study examined the self-reported comparisons of problems resulting from learning disabilities during school-age years (retrospectively) and in adult years. The responses of 133 adults categorized as highly successful and moderately successful in employment showed that both groups deteriorated markedly in the areas of functioning typically included in diagnostic and remediation efforts. This established a case for persistence and highlights an important issue for those who are directly or indirectly concerned about adults with learning disabilities.
Ties that bind: revisiting context, identity, and attitudes

The article focuses on group-based features of issue publics and advances the concept of residual group saliency as a way to organize members of issue publics. We accord veterans exemplar or prototype status, and civilians as periphery members of this issue public. As issue public exemplars, veterans anchor the “right” attitudes and behaviors for the veteran issue public, and civilians, especially those with family ties to veterans, gravitate toward those exemplar attitudes. We argue that pressure to conform to these “right” attitudes among civilians who are connected to a veteran is greater when there are more veterans in their environment. However, veterans and civilians who are not connected to a veteran are not responsive to such contextual effects, the former because they are already exemplars, and the latter because there is no motivation to evaluate the self in relation to veterans. We test and find support for these claims using data from the 2010 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. We conclude with an evaluative discussion and suggestions for future research.
Histone Acetylation at the Ifng Promoter in Tolerized CD4 Cells Is Associated with Increased IFN-γ Expression during Subsequent Immunization to the Same Antigen

When naive CD4(+) Th cells encounter cognate pathogen-derived Ags they expand and develop the capacity to express the appropriate effector cytokines for neutralizing the pathogen. Central to this differentiation process are epigenetic modifications within the effector cytokine genes that allow accessibility to the transcriptional machinery. In contrast, when mature self-reactive CD4 cells encounter their cognate epitopes in the periphery they generally undergo a process of tolerization in which they become hyporesponsive/anergic to antigenic stimulation. In the current study, we used a TCR transgenic adoptive transfer system to demonstrate that in a dose-dependent manner parenchymal self-Ag programs cognate naive CD4 cells to acetylate histones bound to the promoter region of the Ifng gene (which encodes the signature Th1 effector cytokine) during peripheral tolerization. Although the Ifng gene gains transcriptional competence, these tolerized CD4 cells fail to express substantial amounts of IFN-gamma in response to antigenic stimulation apparently because a blockage in TCR-mediated signaling also develops. Nevertheless, responsiveness to antigenic stimulation is partially restored when self-Ag-tolerized CD4 cells are retransferred into mice infected with a virus expressing the same Ag. Additionally, there is preferential boosting in the ability of these CD4 cells to express IFN-gamma relative to other cytokines with expression that also becomes impaired. Taken together, these results suggest that epigenetic modification of the Ifng locus during peripheral CD4 cell tolerization might allow for preferential expression of IFN-gamma during recovery from tolerance.
Military Service and Educational Attainment in the All-Volunteer Era.

This article uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine the relation ship between service in the All Volunteer Force (AVF) military and educational attainment. Through the use of fixed-effects estimators, the author generated estimates of the effect of mil itary service on the highest grade of school completed by men that are purged of the con founding effects of constant unmeasured household-specific and person-specific variables. He also implemented another series of controls for selectivity involving potential time-varying fac tors by comparing active-duty veterans to reserve-duty veterans and nonveterans who at some time indicated their intentions to enter the military. The results indicate that there is consider able diversity in the effect of military service among veterans according to such variables as education prior to service, score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test, branch of service, length of service, age at entry into the military, and race. Overall, however, veterans of the AVF receive less education than their civilian counterparts, and this educational gap tends to grow over time.
Adsorption of γ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane onto bulk iron from aqueous solutions

The adsorption of γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (γ-APS) onto mechanically polished iron coupons from 1% aqueous solutions has been investigated using reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy. Thick films were formed on the coupons during 1-hr exposures to the γ-APS solutions. The outermost portion of these films consisted of highly hydrolyzed polysiloxanes that were weakly bound and easily desorbed by cold water. This fraction of the films was characterized by an infrared band near 1575 cm−1 that was tentatively assigned to the NH2 deformation of acceptor amine groups in strong hydrogen bonds or to coordination of the amino nitrogen atoms to silicon atoms. Removal of the weakly bound outermost portion of the films with water revealed an incompletely hydrolyzed, strongly bound film approximately 60 A in thickness characterized by a band near 1510 cm−1 that was assigned to NH groups. Formation of NH3+ groups indicated that γ-APS may have been adsorbed initially as cyclic, internal zwitterions.
Zietsch & Santtila's study is not evidence against the by-product theory of female orgasm

The adaptive signiﬁcance of women’s orgasm remains a topic ofdebate, with little agreement on a speciﬁc adaptation and thepreponderance of evidence consistent with women’s orgasm beinga by-product of strong selection on orgasm in men (Symons 1979;Lloyd 2005; Komisaruk et al. 2006; Hosken 2008; Wallen & Lloyd2008a, b, 2011; Levin 2011; Zietsch et al. 2011; Puts et al. 2012).Zietsch & Santtila (2011) entered into this debate by investigatingthe intersexual phenotypic correlation between measures oforgasmic function in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ)opposite-sexedtwinsin anattempttoprovide evidenceofwhetherorgasm in women is an evolutionary adaptation or a by-product ofstrong selection onmaleorgasmwith its accompanyingejaculation(Lloyd 2005). Zietsch & Santtila (2011) reported signiﬁcant within-sex correlations among both MZ and same-sex DZ twins inorgasmic function, but not among opposite-sex DZ twins. Theyinterpreted this lack of signiﬁcant correlations in opposite-sexedDZ twins as evidence against the by-product explanation ofwomen’s orgasm, arguing that strong selection on male orgasmicfunction should have resulted in a correlated expression of orgasmintheirtwinsisters.Weﬁndthis isamisinterpretation of theirdataand present three arguments that invalidate their conclusion andanalysis.First, Zietsch & Santtila used completely different measures oforgasm in men and women: time to orgasm in men and likelihoodof orgasm in women, without demonstrating that these markedlydifferent metrics measure comparable traits. However, the calcu-lation of a meaningful intersexual genetic correlation requiresmeasurementof the exact same traits in bothsexes. Thus, it is mostlikely that Zietsch & Santtila’s failure to ﬁnd a correlation inopposite-sex DZ twins reﬂects their use of different measures ineachsex that are inherentlyuncorrelated.Thisissue alone preventsthisstudyfromcontributinginterpretabledatatothedebateontheevolution of orgasm in women. Second, their prediction relies onlinking correlated morphology with correlated function, a movethat is unjustiﬁed, and should not be assumed. Third, they proposean adaptive stabilizing selection scenario on female orgasm, toaccount for the nonadditive variance they found in their femalecross-sex DZ twin sample, but this recent stabilizing scenario is notcompatible with the actual frequency distributions theycite earlier
HEMOCHROMATOSIS. II. A REPORT OF THREE CASES WITH ENDOCRINE DISTURBANCES AND NOTES ON A PREVIOUSLY REPORTED CASE. DISCUSSION OF ETIOLOGY

A decade ago ease-reports of hemochromatosis were published as a rarity. Until 1918, only 75 eases of hemochromatosis were described in the entire literature; while between 1918 and 1932, 112 more eases were added. This increase in the occurrence of hemochromatosis is probably only apparent and can be explained by more frequent recognition due to greater familiarity with its manifestations. Our continued interest in hemoehromatosis is due to a desire to find a solution of the problems of etiology and pathological physiology which this disease presents.
Combustion Noise of Auxiliary Power Units

Noise from auxiliary power units (APU) is an important contributor to the overall level of ramp noise. Currently, ramp noise is regulated by international governing bodies as well as by individual airport. A significant component of APU noise is combustion noise. In this study, the unique spectral shape of APU combustion noise is identified. It is found that the spectral shape is the same regardless of engine size, power setting and directivity. Also, it is practically the same as that of open flame combustion noise. The frequency at the peak of the combustion noise spectrum is found to lie in the narrow range between 250 to 350 Hz. The peak sound pressure level of a given APU varies as the square of the fuel consumption rate. In the literature, suggestions have been made concerning a second combustion noise mechanism arising from the passage of hot entropy spots through the exhaust nozzle or constriction. In this investigation, no evidence has been found to indicate the existence of a second APU combustion noise component.
EVIDENCE OF A NORTH-SOUTH ASYMMETRY IN THE HELIOSPHERE ASSOCIATED WITH A SOUTHWARD DISPLACEMENT OF THE HELIOSPHERIC CURRENT SHEET

Evidence of a north-south asymmetry in the global heliosphere, first inferred from Ulysses cosmic ray observations, is investigated using simultaneous Ulysses and WIND magnetic field observations.
Faculty Perceptions Of Distance Education Courses: A Survey

This paper discusses the results of a study of the perceptions of a national sample of business faculty members from various business disciplines regarding distance (online) education and teaching distance education courses. In the past few years, distance learning programs have become very popular, and the number of offerings continues to increase. However, distance learning courses offer significant differences from the classic classroom environment. The results of this study suggest that the offering of online courses in business is still in the early or developmental stages, and that only a small percentage of the respondents indicate that they would teach online courses in the future.
Diltiazem and nitrendipine suppress hypoxic contracture in quiescent ventricular myocardium

Calcium blocking agents may protect the ischaemic heart by reducing ventricular afterload and cardiac contractility, or by augmenting myocardial perfusion. To determine whether protection is mediated in part by mechanisms unrelated to myocardial work and perfusion, we examined effects of diltiazem and nitren-dipine on unperfused myocardium subjected to hypoxia. Rabbit right ventricular papillary muscles were mounted in a myograph containing Krebs buffer equilibrated at 37°C with 95% O2–5% CO2. During brief electrical pacing at a frequency of 12 min−1 a preload of 1363±60 mg produced a maximal isometric force development of 4892±273mg(SE; n = 113). After 60 min without pacing, the quiescent muscles were pre-equilibrated randomly for 20 min without drug for control (C=38), or with 10−6 diltiazem (n = 38) or 10−6 mol−1 nitrendipine (n = 38). Changes in resting force during equilibration did not exceed ±12 mg. Subsequent sudden de-oxygenation with 95% N2–5% CO2 evoked in controls an increase in force beginning after 16±1 min. The onset of hypoxic contracture was significantly (P<0.1) delayed in treated muscles and started after 31 ± 3 min with diltiazem and after 23±2 min with nifedipine. Peak contracture was significantly (P<0.1) inhibited by diltiazem and nitrendipine compared to controls, respective values averaging 264±22 mg, 480±44 mg and 895±70 mg. Thus, calcium blockers delayed and suppressed hypoxic contracture in quiescent myocardium, demonstrating that the drugs acted directly on cardiac muscle in the absence of rhythmic electrical and mechanical activity.
'Strategizing Calculus' in Industrial Procurement Contracts: Safeguarding Pre-Existing Resources versus Creating Value

Extant research in collaborative ties has pre-dominantly focused on studying how governance forms balance the potential gains against transaction hazards within that relationship. Building on the incomplete contracting approach, we develop a game-theoretical model that shows how buyers trade-off gains within a supplier relationship against protecting their own resources that exist outside the relationship. We show that compared to open-price contracts, closed-price contracts that dis-incentivize suppliers from over-investing in activities that facilitate appropriation, provide better protection to such pre-existing resources. Consistent with our model, but not with alternative theories, our data on procurement contracts show that OEMs tend to use closed-price contracts when their pre-existing resources are high but the use of closed-price contracts reduces both the supplier’s dedicated investments and the OEM’s gains. Our work provides evidence on how parties, cognizant of the dark side of relationships, strategically trade-off protecting pre-existing resources against generating value within inter-organizational relationships.
15.1 A 24.7mW 45MHz-BW 75.3dB-SNDR SAR-assisted CT ΔΣ modulator with 2nd-order noise coupling in 65nm CMOS

Technology advancement has recently made it attractive to replace the flash quantizer (QTZ) in a multibit ΔΣ modulator by an asynchronous successive-approximation-register (ASAR) QTZ to improve the overall power efficiency [1]. However, limited by the SAR throughput, most works in this regime report only a small signal bandwidth. To achieve a wide bandwidth, a lower oversampling ratio (OSR) can be utilized, which dictates more aggressive noise shaping for a constant SNDR, and thus can potentially compromise the stability of the modulator. A discrete-time (DT) noise-coupling (NC) technique [2] circumvents this problem and is suitable for deployment in an SAR-assisted multibit ΔΣ modulator. In a switched-capacitor SAR, the quantization error (Eq) is naturally produced on the summing node at the end of the SAR bit cycles and can be buffered and injected back into the loop filter (LF) to facilitate NC. In addition, the switched-capacitor SAR DAC also provides a convenient means to incorporate the excess-loop-delay (ELD) compensation in a continuous-time (CT) modulator. To explore these techniques, this paper presents a 10× OSR, 4th-order CT ΔΣ modulator with mixed-mode (DT-CT) 2nd-order NC and ELD compensation, all integrated in a 4b ASAR QTZ.
A review of advertisements for part-time library positions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine advertisements for part-time professional library jobs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The goal is to gain a better understanding of what skills and experience levels are being required of part-time librarians, as well as what their expected salary and hours might be. Design/methodology/approach – Advertisements for part-time professional library positions were collected from online sources over the course of one year. Findings – Part-time librarian positions tend to be public services positions in either public or academic libraries. Advertisements for these position indicate a need for flexibility and often do not contain information about salary or hours. Many are suitable for entry-level librarians with no experience. Research limitations/implications – Job advertisement studies are limited in that they can only examine the information contained in the advertisements themselves and therefore may not reflect the actual person hired. Practical implicatio...
Fragility Function of Base Isolated Highway Bridges

This paper aims to use the performance-based evaluation approach to investigate the performance of highway bridges with isolation devices. Fragility functions of un-isolated and isolated bridges are derived and compared to study the efficiency of various isolation devices with different combination of strength and stiffness. A simplified 2D bridge model representing the transverse response of a typical highway bridge is adopted where the fiber section element is used for bridge columns while bilinear element is used for isolation devices. The fragility curves are derived by either PSDA or IDA method based on simulation results from the nonlinear time history analysis using 250 earthquake motion records. Damage criteria for both piers and isolation devices are established to relate the component response quantities to global damage states of bridges. Extensive parametric study is also conducted to evaluate the effect of mechanical properties of isolation devices on the damage probability of isolated bridges. The study identifies the optimum combination of mechanical parameters of isolation devices, which can serve as practical guide for isolation device designs.
Intraperitoneal colon anastomosis with laparoscopic purse string suture clamp and Valtrac ring

In combination with the biofragmentable Valtrac ring a newly developed purse-string suture clamp offers the possibility of performing intraperitoneal anastomoses of the small and large bowel without the need for stapling devices. During this experimental study end-to-end anastomoses of the descending colon were constructed in five pigs. One animal was re-examined on day 1 after the operation and the others were all sacrificed on day 21 after. None of the animals showed any signs of an anastomotic leakage. Little scar tissue was seen macroscopically or histologically in the anastomotic region of the animals sacrificed 3 weeks after the operation. The operative technique presented in this paper might render the so-called assisted laparoscopic procedures for the right hemicolon unnecessary in the future.
Using a Clinical Knowledge Base to Assess Comorbidity Interrelatedness Among Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions

Decision support tools increasingly integrate clinical knowledge such as medication indications and contraindications with electronic health record (EHR) data to support clinical care and patient safety. The availability of this encoded information and patient data provides an opportunity to develop measures of clinical decision complexity that may be of value for quality improvement and research efforts. We investigated the feasibility of using encoded clinical knowledge and EHR data to develop a measure of comorbidity interrelatedness (the degree to which patients’ co-occurring conditions interact to generate clinical complexity). Using a common clinical scenario—decisions about blood pressure medications in patients with hypertension—we quantified comorbidity interrelatedness by calculating the number of indications and contraindications to blood pressure medications that are generated by patients’ comorbidities (e.g., diabetes, gout, depression). We examined properties of comorbidity interrelatedness using data from a decision support system for hypertension in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
Pharmacoepidemiologic program for identifying patients in need of vaccination.

The feasibility of identifying candidates for vaccination by analyzing patients' use of prescribed drugs as recorded in a computerized database was investigated. Pharmacists at a 45-bed hospital serving U.S. Armed Forces in Germany developed a list of drugs used to treat patients with diagnoses that warrant influenza or pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination. In December 1988 and April 1989, the facility's pharmacy database was searched for patients who had received the infection-risk-indicating drugs during September 1, 1988-March 30, 1989. Medical records of patients identified were screened to verify the indications for vaccination. Patients at risk were sent letters and prescriptions written by a pharmacist to inform and remind them of their need for vaccination. Of 109 patients for whom records were screened, 80 (73.4%) had valid indications for immunization. Of these 80 patients, 48 (60%) accepted the invitation to be immunized. The 80 patients in need of vaccination received 151 individual prescriptions; 77 doses (51%) were administered to 48 patients. Screening by pulmonary, cardiovascular, and hypoglycemic drug use identified the largest numbers of patients in need of vaccination, as did age over 64 years. Patients with more than one risk factor for infection were significantly more likely to accept vaccination than patients with only one risk factor. Pharmacoepidemiologic programs can help pharmacists to fulfill their role as advocates of immunization.
Testicle Carcinoma Surveillance Counterpoint: USA

Testis cancer remains the most common solid tumor in males 20–35 years of age and accounts for approximately 1 % of cancer cases in males. For unclear reasons, overall incidence has increased from 3.7/100,000 in 1975 to 5.4/100,000 in 2001 [1]. Fortunately, in the face of this trend, improved treatment success has resulted in a significant reduction in the mortality rate. In 2008, there were an estimated 8,000 new cases and 380 deaths from testis cancer in the United States [2]. The 5-year survival rate has increased from 83 % in the 1970s to 96 % by the end of the twentieth century due to the improvement in treatment [2].
Dynamic defect-limited yield prediction by criticality factor

In this paper, we present a new methodology for inline yield prediction based on defect inspection and design data. We derive a new metric called criticality factor (CF), which is essentially a fractional critical area for a defect of the reported size in a small layout window around the reported defect location. CF would be a good predictor of yield if geometrical considerations alone determined whether an electrical fail will result. Since other properties of the defect affect the electrical outcome (such as material properties), we employ a Training Set of wafers where the functional relation between CF and die yield is learned for each critical inspection step. From that point on these curves are used to predict the yield impact of in-line defects for new wafers. In addition, we show that highly-systematic defects (i.e. layout dependent) deviate from the CF functional curves, and hence add noise to the calculation. We suggest a technique to separate these defects from the random population, and calculate a corrected CF value for them.
ANATOMICALLY LINKED OCCURRENCE OF CONCRETIONARY PRESERVATION OF MOSASAURS FROM THE PIERRE SHALE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Fossils of mosasaurs, late Cretaceous marine reptiles, are frequently found partially preserved in concretions (i.e., hard mineral masses), but little is known about this mode of fossilization. Concretionary fossils are difficult to extract, so are often ignored in the field and laboratory. Accounts suggest that skulls, the most taxonomically diagnostic element, are most often preserved in concretions. The presence of concretions was documented in four anatomical regions (head, torso, tail, limbs) in 48 mosasaur fossils from the Pierre Shale of South Dakota. Specimens were compiled from a restricted lithostratigraphic interval to minimize the effects of lithologic variation on concretion formation. In this sample, the skull and torso were preserved more often in concretions than were limbs and tails. The occurrence of concretion formation was found to vary depending on anatomical region. The results suggest that concretion growth begins in the core of the organism with a higher volume of organic matter, and successively precipitates towards the periphery. The skull and torso contain many taxonomically diagnostic features; thus concretionary specimens should not be overlooked. Additionally, increased likelihood of preservation of specific anatomic regions was dependent on concretion formation, suggesting that our view of the fossil record is affected by concretions.
Immunotherapy of Prostate Cancer: Facts and Hopes

In the last few years immunotherapy has become an important cancer treatment modality and while the principles of immunotherapy evolved over many decades, the FDA approvals of sipuleucel-T and ipilimumab began a new wave in immuno-oncology. Despite the current enthusiasm, it is unlikely that any of the immunotherapeutics alone can dramatically change prostate cancer outcomes, but combination strategies are more promising and provide a reason for optimism. Several completed and ongoing studies have shown that the combination of cancer vaccines or checkpoint inhibitors with different immunotherapeutic agents, hormonal therapy (enzalutamide), radiation therapy (radium 223), DNA-damaging agents (olaparib), or chemotherapy (docetaxel) can enhance immune responses and induce more dramatic, long-lasting clinical responses without significant toxicity. The goal of prostate cancer immunotherapy does not have to be complete eradication of advanced disease, but rather the return to an immunologic equilibrium with an indolent disease state. In addition to determining the optimal combination of treatment regimens, efforts are also ongoing to discover biomarkers of immune response. With such concerted efforts, the future of immunotherapy in prostate cancer looks brighter than ever.
Comparison of Hatching Egg Characteristics, Embryo Development, Yolk Absorption, Hatch Window, and Hatchability of Pekin Duck Eggs of Different Weights

ABSTRACT This study was carried out to determine the hatching egg characteristics, embryo development and yolk absorption during incubation, hatch window, and hatchability of Pekin duck eggs of different weights. A total of 960 hatching eggs was obtained from a breeder flock 35 to 36 wk of age. The eggs were classed into 3 weight categories: “light” (L; 83 g). The albumen weight was the highest in the heavy eggs, whereas the yolk weight was higher in the medium and heavy eggs. Egg breaking strength was the highest with a value of 2.5 kg/cm2 in light eggs, whereas the thinnest eggshell (0.3862 mm) was observed in heavy eggs. pH of albumen and yolk was similar and ranged from 8.8 to 8.9 and 5.9 to 6.0, respectively. On d 14 of incubation, yolk sac weight was found higher in the medium and heavy eggs. Additionally, the dry matter of the embryo and yolk sac differed among the egg weight groups during the incubation period. Interestingly, on d 25 of incubation, the embryo weight was higher in the light and heavy eggs (35.2 and 36.3 g, respectively) than in the medium eggs (29.8 g). These findings showed that embryo growth was affected by yolk absorption and dry matter accumulation. The hatchability of total and fertile eggs was lower for the heavy eggs than the light and medium eggs. The chick weight was 42.8, 48.4, and 54.9 g in light, medium, and heavy eggs, respectively. A percentage of 34.2, 36, and 31.6% of chicks from light, medium, and heavy eggs, hatched between 637 and 648 h, 39.6, 36.2, and 32.9% between 649 and 660 h, 26.2, 27.8, and 35.5% between 661 and 672 h of incubation, respectively. In conclusion, hatching egg quality, embryo development and yolk absorption during incubation, hatch window, and hatchability were affected by egg weight in Pekin ducks.
Production of Sulfur Allotropes in Electron Irradiated Jupiter Trojans Ice Analogs

In this paper, we investigate sulfur chemistry in laboratory analogs of Jupiter Trojans and Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs). Electron irradiation experiments of CH_3OH–NH_3–H_2O and H_2S–CH_3OH–NH_3–H_2O ices were conducted to better understand the chemical differences between primordial planetesimals inside and outside the sublimation line of H_2S. The main goal of this work is to test the chemical plausibility of the hypothesis correlating the color bimodality in Jupiter Trojans with sulfur chemistry in the incipient solar system. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of the irradiated mixtures allows the detection of small sulfur allotropes (S_3 and S_4) after the irradiation of H2S containing ice mixtures. These small, red polymers are metastable and could polymerize further under thermal processing and irradiation, producing larger sulfur polymers (mainly S_8) that are spectroscopically neutral at wavelengths above 500 nm. This transformation may affect the spectral reflectance of Jupiter Trojans in a different way compared to KBOs, thereby providing a useful framework for possibly differentiating and determining the formation and history of small bodies. Along with allotropes, we report the production of organo-sulfur molecules. Sulfur molecules produced in our experiment have been recently detected by Rosetta in the coma of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The very weak absorption of sulfur polymers in the infrared range hampers their identification on Trojans and KBOs, but these allotropes strongly absorb light at UV and Visible wavelengths. This suggests that high signal-to-noise ratio UV–Vis spectra of these objects could provide new constraints on their presence.
Emergent patterns and processes in urban hydrocarbon governance

Abstract Beginning in the 2000s, the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region became home to the world's largest and longest experiment in urban shale gas production, with 25,182 drilling permits issued from 2000 to 2016 in the Barnett Shale. Urban hydrocarbon governance centered on establishing statutory setback distances between drilling sites and nearest houses or other protected uses. Here we analyze qualitative interview data obtained with a rigorous sampling frame to examine processes and outcomes of municipal-level hydrocarbon governance. We find that early municipal responses (2001–2002) revealed lack of technical expertise to respond to unconventional drilling and production. Controversial wells, which residents considered too close to houses, focused governance debates in several municipalities. Municipal policymakers reported that protecting public health and safety were top priorities in determining setbacks. After 2003, policymakers copied ordinance language from neighboring municipalities and established task forces and working groups to reduce political tensions. The role of the hydrocarbon industry included frequent claims seeking to exploit the longstanding separation of mineral and property estates, which encouraged municipalities to reduce setbacks and lower potential exposure to regulatory takings lawsuits. Over time, municipal regulatory power in hydrocarbon governance decreased while industry power increased, offering several implications for corporate responsibility and social license debates.
A sliding scale of intensity: novel rota system for consultant delivered care

A Plunkett and colleagues describe a new rota system for implementing consultant delivered care in acute hospital specialties
Paleo-Ice Streams and Ice Stream Boundaries, Ross Sea, Antarctica

During the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer 1994–01 and 1995–01 cruises, approximately 7141 km of 50 in3 airgun seismic profiles and 12,150 km of 3.5 kHz trackline data were collected from the Ross Sea continental shelf. Ross Sea is a broad embayment, approximately 1500 km wide and 900 km long, on the Antarctic coast (Fig. 1). Water depths range from less than 300 m to greater than 1200 m and average in excess of 500 m. Bathymetry is dominated by a series of roughly northeast-southwest ridges and troughs. The continental shelf is foredeepened; the inner shelf is deeper than the outer shelf due to a combination of enhanced glacial scour and isostatic loading. Repeated expansion of the East and West Antarctic ice sheets is interpreted to have modified the continental shelf. The records of the most recent glacial expansions are preserved in the surficial features and sedimentary deposits of the Ross Sea floor.
Matrix multiplication on multidimensional torus networks

Blocked matrix multiplication algorithms such as Cannon’s algorithm and SUMMA have a 2-dimensional communication structure. We introduce a generalized ’Split-Dimensional’ version of Cannon’s algorithm (SD-Cannon) with higher-dimensional and bidirectional communication structure. This algorithm is useful for torus interconnects that can achieve more injection bandwidth than single-link bandwidth. On a bidirectional torus network of dimension d, SD-Cannon can lower the algorithmic bandwidth cost by a factor of up to d. With rectangular collectives, SUMMA also achieves the lower bandwidth cost but has a higher latency cost. We use Charm++ virtualization to efficiently map SD-Cannon on unbalanced and odd-dimensional torus network partitions. Our performance study on Blue Gene/P demonstrates that a MPI version of SD-Cannon can exploit multiple communication links and improve performance.
Dimensionalizing the Environmental Manifold

This paper presents an analysis of selected problems in environmental psychology. It starts from a focus on independently defined dimensions of the environment and examines the functional relationships between these and given behavioral variables, by recourse to a variety of constructs derived from theory and research in the realms of exploratory behavior, experimental aesthetics, arousal and levels of stimulation, and adaptation level. The approach is illustrated with respect to three particular problem areas: the stimulus correlates of environmental preference, the optimal-level-of-stimulation problem, and the role of frame of reference, i.e., adaptation level, in environmental assessment. The treatment of these problems dwells on diverse, theoretical, and methodological problems involved in the isolation and specification of pertinent environmental variables, as well as in the handling of individual differences, and of variables relating to the person, in the context of the proposed approach built on the postulate of an objectively definable environment. An investigation of the evaluation of environments by migrants who have moved from communities of differing sizes to New York City is presented in some detail to illustrate the applicability of the adaptation-level framework to judgments of diverse environmental attributes.
Abstract 5750: Underlying inflammatory processes in non-neoplastic female thyroid serve as an immunological basis for the sex disparity in papillary thyroid cancer

Background: The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated 56,870 new cases of thyroid cancer in the United States in 2017, with roughly 2,010 deaths attributed to the disease. The incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing steadily over the past three decades, with Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC) being the most prevalent form of this endocrine malignancy, comprising of about 90% of all cases. Appreciably, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) and the ACS indicate that the incidence of PTC in the age group of 20-49 years is three to four times more prevalent in women than in men. This epidemiologic finding suggests that the female thyroid is at a higher risk of developing PTC. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database provides the means to address the differences between male and female thyroids on the molecular level. Using the normalized Level 3 RNA Seq Data and patient pathology reports available on the TCGA Data Portal, differential gene expression of 56 non-neoplastic/normal thyroid samples (40 women; 16 men) was investigated using the biological analysis software, Subio platform, version v1.20.5031. (Subio Inc., Tokyo, Japan). Results: Immune/inflammatory genes exhibited a higher expression in uninflamed, normal thyroid tissue of women than in men (>1.5 fold; p Conclusions: Our data suggest that the female thyroid may be “at-risk” for developing PTC due to underlying and on-going immune/inflammatory processes. Citation Format: Anvita Gupta, Karnika Singh, Timmy J. O9Connell, Melanie Jones, JK Rasamny, Monica Schwarcz, Augustine Moscatello, Edward Shin, Raj Tiwari, Jan Geliebter. Underlying inflammatory processes in non-neoplastic female thyroid serve as an immunological basis for the sex disparity in papillary thyroid cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5750.
Improving HPV vaccine delivery at school-based health centers.

Objective: To identify characteristics associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates, describe barriers and facilitators to vaccine uptake and the potential role for clinician-to-cli...
IS IT SAFE TO DISCONTINUE ORAL ANTICOAGULATION AFTER CATHETER ABLATION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

We sought to examine whether it was safe to discontinue oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) after catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) with thromboembolic events (TE) as the primary outcome and using the CHA2DS2VASc score for risk stratification. A systematic review of Medline, Cochrane
Enhanced Accountability: The Catholic Church’s Unfinished Business

Events of the Summer 2018 brought the long running sexual abuse crisis in the Roman Catholic Church back onto the front pages, highlighting the role of diocesan bishops in covering up the scandal and enabling abusers. In response to these developments, the Church is again considering reforms to protect victims and punish abusers and enablers. This article proposes that the Church create a system for laity to anonymously report allegations, enact strong protections for whistleblowers, and impose a mandatory whistleblowing requirement on priests. As a 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report demonstrates, however, the laity was reporting the abuse to the Church but the hierarchy buried those reports in secret files. The ultimate problem thus is not so much the lack of reporting, as it was the lack of action after the report. Accordingly, the article’s principal proposal is the creation of both diocesan and national disciplinary bodies led by expert lay members as the ultimate authorities in sex abuse cases. The proposal draws an analogy between these bodies and corporate audit committees and argues that a number of aspects of how audit committees function can be usefully adapted to the proposed review bodies.
Tumoricidal stem cell therapy enables killing in novel hybrid models of heterogeneous glioblastoma

Background Tumor-homing tumoricidal neural stem cell (tNSC) therapy is a promising new strategy that recently entered human patient testing for glioblastoma (GBM). Developing strategies for tNSC therapy to overcome intratumoral heterogeneity, variable cancer cell invasiveness, and differential drug response of GBM will be essential for efficacious treatment response in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was to create novel hybrid tumor models and investigate the impact of GBM heterogeneity on tNSC therapies. Methods We used organotypic brain slice explants and distinct human GBM cell types to generate heterogeneous models ex vivo and in vivo. We then tested the efficacy of mono- and combination therapy with primary NSCs and fibroblast-derived human induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) engineered with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) or enzyme-prodrug therapy. Results Optical imaging, molecular assays, and immunohistochemistry revealed that the hybrid models recapitulated key aspects of patient GBM, including heterogeneity in TRAIL sensitivity, proliferation, migration patterns, hypoxia, blood vessel structure, cancer stem cell populations, and immune infiltration. To explore the impact of heterogeneity on tNSC therapy, testing in multiple in vivo models showed that tNSC-TRAIL therapy potently inhibited tumor growth and significantly increased survival across all paradigms. Patterns of tumor recurrence varied with therapeutic (tNSC-TRAIL and/or tNSC-thymidine kinase), dose, and route of administration. Conclusions These studies report new hybrid models that accurately capture key aspects of GBM heterogeneity which markedly impact treatment response while demonstrating the ability of tNSC mono- and combination therapy to overcome certain aspects of heterogeneity for robust tumor kill.
CT and calcification: Understanding its role in risk prediction

Abstract Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is an excellent technique to detect and quantify coronary atherosclerosis including coronary calcification. A coronary artery calcium score (CACS) can be derived from a simple noncontrast chest CT and has shown great value to guide clinical management. Several studies have shown the excellent long-term survival free from major cardiac events for patients without calcium, and increasing burden of calcium relates to a proportional increase in risk. This chapter will summarize the recent literature how CACS can help in managing mainly asymptomatic individuals at risk for heart attacks. Second, coronary computed tomography angiography has emerged as valuable test of choice to evaluate patients with chest pain. It helps to reassure patients in the absence of coronary artery disease and visualizes coronary stenosis that may benefit from revascularization. In addition, this chapter will highlight how detailed coronary plaque quantification, characterization, and identification of high-risk coronary plaque features improve diagnosis of ischemic vessels and score risk for future events.
Intake of vitamin D and calcium, sun exposure, and risk of breast cancer subtypes among black women

Background The randomized placebo-controlled Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial suggested a possible benefit of vitamin D on cancer incidence among black individuals. However, data are limited regarding the impact of vitamin D on breast cancer subtypes among African-American/black women, who tend to develop more aggressive forms of breast cancer. Objectives We hypothesize that more vitamin D exposure (through diet, supplements, and sunlight) and higher intake of calcium are associated with decreased risk of estrogen receptor (ER)+ and ER- breast cancer, and of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) among black women. Methods This study was conducted among 1724 black cases and 1233 controls in the Women's Circle of Health Study (WCHS) and WCHS2. Polytomous logistic regressions were used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs of ER+ and ER- breast cancer; logistic regressions were used for TNBC. The ORs from each study were pooled using an inverse-variance-weighted random-effects model. Results Dietary vitamin D and calcium intake were not associated with risk of breast cancer subtypes in the pooled analysis. For supplemental vitamin D, we observed possible inverse associations between intake of ≤800 IU/d (compared with nonuse) and risk of several subtypes, with effects that appeared strongest for TNBC (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.94); no association was found for >800 IU/d. More daylight hours spent outdoors in a year was associated with lower risk of ER+, ER-, and TNBC (e.g., highest compared with lowest quartile: TNBC OR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.91; P-trend = 0.02). Conclusions Moderate supplemental vitamin D intake was associated with decreased risk of TNBC, and increased sun exposure was associated with reduced risk of ER+, ER-, and TNBC among black women.