cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IMPACT OF INTRODUCTION OF NIPT ON UPTAKE OF GENETIC TESTING IN FETUSES WITH CNS ANOMALIES

Objectives To evaluate the impact of introduction of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) on the uptake of invasive testing in pregnancies complicated by fetal central nervous system (CNS) anomalies. Methods Retrospective review of all singleton pregnancies complicated by fetal CNS anomalies seen at a single tertiary center between 2010 and 2017. Cases who had undergone invasive testing or NIPT prior to the diagnosis of the CNS anomaly were excluded. Cases were segregated according to whether they were seen prior to introduction of NIPT (Group A, 2010-2013) or thereafter (Group B, 2014-2017). We examined the rate of invasive and non-invasive genetic testing in each group Results We retrieved 500 cases: 308 (62%) were isolated CNS anomalies and 192 (38%) had additional structural anomalies. In the total cohort, 165 women (33%) underwent expectant management with no further prenatal genetic testing, 166 (33%) had invasive testing, 52 (10%) had NIPT and 117 pregnancies (23%) were terminated without further prenatal investigations. The introduction of NIPT significantly decreased the number of pregnancies having no testing (44% Group A vs 22% in group B, p Conclusions Uptake of invasive prenatal testing in fetuses with brain anomalies was not affected by NIPT. However, the incidence of no genetic testing was significantly reduced. NIPT was a suboptimal testing strategy in this population as it missed a significant number of sub-chromosomal genetic anomalies.
Single Particle Detection Enhancement with Wavelet-based Signal Processing Technique

Chip-based single molecule detection requires ultra-sensitive devices and robust signal processing methods. A new wavelet-based signal processing method is introduced that improves detection and error rates on an optofluidic platform by 2x and 3x, respectively. © 2019 The Author(s)
Multiplexed quantitative phosphoproteomics of cell line and tissue samples

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins increase a biological system's repertoire of regulatory tools to control cellular mechanisms. Protein phosphorylation is the most studied PTM and known to be dysregulated in many diseases, including cancer, and protein kinases are among the most important drug targets. Many proteins across the eukaryotic proteome are phosphorylated, and more than 50,000 unique protein phosphorylation sites have been identified in a single human cell line. Understanding the vast biological networks directed by protein phosphorylation requires deep quantitative mapping of the phosphoproteome across many samples. Multiplexed proteomics using isobaric labeling reagents to barcode proteome samples for simultaneous quantification has greatly increased the throughput of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and enabled the number of analyses required to understand complex biological systems. We are presenting a detailed protocol to use multiplexed proteomics for mapping phosphoproteomes in samples from cell culture experiments and in tissue samples. The protocol includes phosphopeptide enrichment with TiO2 and phosphotyrosine antibody technology. We are using tandem mass tag (TMT) reagents for barcoding the samples allowing parallel quantification of up to 11 samples. The mass spectrometry method is based on the MultiNotch MS3 method to generate quantitative data of high accuracy and reproducibility. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) based on regular collision-induced dissociation (CID) and higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) is used to maximize the number of quantified phosphopeptides. The protocol typically enables the quantification of more than 20,000 unique phosphoforms (unique patterns of peptide phosphorylations) from proteome samples of human origin requiring less than 8h of mass spectrometry time per sample.
Testing the Testers: Are Young Men Who Have Sex With Men Receiving Adequate HIV Testing and Counseling Services?

Background The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promote HIV testing every 6 months among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to facilitate entry into the HIV prevention and care continuum. Willingness to be tested may be influenced by testing services' quality. Using a novel mystery shopper methodology, we assessed YMSM's testing experiences in 3 cities and recommend service delivery improvements. Methods We assessed YMSM's experiences at HIV testing sites in Philadelphia (n = 30), Atlanta (n = 17), and Houston (n = 19). YMSM (18-24) were trained as mystery shoppers and each site was visited twice. After each visit, shoppers completed a quality assurance survey to evaluate their experience. Data were pooled across sites, normed as percentages, and compared across cities. Results Across cites, visits averaged 30 minutes (SD = 25.5) and were perceived as welcoming and friendly (70.9%). YMSM perceived most sites respected their privacy and confidentiality (84.3%). YMSM noted deficiencies in providers' competencies with sexual minorities (63.4%) and comfort during the visit (65.7%). Sites underperformed on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender visibility (49.6%) and medical forms inclusivity (57.95%). Sites on average did not discuss YMSM's relationship context (49.8%) nor provide risk reduction counseling (56.8%) or safer sex education (24.3%). Sites delivered pre-exposure prophylaxis information and counseling inconsistently (58.8%). Conclusions Testing sites' variable performance underscores the importance of improving HIV testing services for YMSM. Strategies are recommended for testing sites to promote cultural sensitivity: funding staff trainings, creating systems to assess adherence to testing guidelines and best practices, and implementing new service delivery models.
A cable-scale experiment to explore new materials for optimizing superconductor accelerator magnets

Abstract A previously commissioned system for exploring critical current pressure sensitivity in superconducting cables, the Transverse Pressure Insert, was modified to examine signals resulting from strand motion and insulation/impregnation cracking in a fully-excited Nb3Sn single strand embedded in an insulation wrapped and impregnated Cu dummy Rutherford cable stack. Measurements were performed in LHe with cyclic transverse pressures up to 68.5 MPa and transverse applied fields up to 13 T. Pressure was applied and removed to simulate stresses seen during magnet operation. Voltage and acoustic signal traces from a CTD-101 K impregnated cable stack were compared to those of a sample impregnated with NHMFL Mix–61. The experiments in this document were in the pursuit of developing a smaller scale, lower cost, and shorter turn around time experiment for exploring materials and processes to decrease training in next-generation Nb3Sn accelerator magnets.
Evaluating the Use and Effectiveness of Ungraded Practice Problems in an Introductory Programming Course

Educational researchers have been interested in finding out factors which are pivotal in a students' success within any course. However, less is known about students' engagement with optional course content and its effect on learning outcomes. Optional content is any ungraded component of the course available to students for additional practice. In our context, it is ungraded quizzes based on concepts discussed in an introductory programming course. In this paper, we present the methodology, analysis, and results of a study concerned with how students engage with optional quizzes and what effects this content may have on students' learning. We find that before the midterm exam, over half of all students completed at least one quiz of the four available, while a third of students completed all available quizzes. Leading up to the midterm exam, we observed a large increase in submissions. During the second half of the semester, overall participation decreased slightly. Again, leading up to the final exam, students' submissions became more frequent. When investigating correlations between quiz completion and student performance, notable differences were observed between the highest and lowest levels of quiz completion. The results of this study will help computer science educators in understanding how students utilize optional content similar to ours and further guide in improving the effectiveness of such content, especially in the context of introductory programming courses. These insights will help to guide the creation and implementation of optional practice problems, with the goal to improve the student's overall experience of the course.
Toward a Bipedal Robot with Variable Gait Styles: Sagittal Forces Analysis in a Planar Simulation and a Prototype Ball-Tray Mechanism

Variable walking styles in bipedal robots may be used to communicate information about purpose and/or personality to human viewers- and may also help accommodate features of the environment. This paper presents variable gait in a simulation and results from a hardware prototype for gravity-driven rolling ball mechanism in a previously proposed bipedal design. First, optimal control inputs that produce a range of variable feasible gaits is generated on a simplified under-actuated planar model. Then, a tray-like mechanism that provides a curved path for a ball to roll on is presented. This mechanism is designed to replicate a notion of pelvic shift, described in Bartenieff Fundamentals, with movement of the ball (which is shaped by the tray) creating a shift of weight. Analysis of two gait styles and two tray designs shows comparable ranges of forces in the direction of travel between the simulated planar model and the hardware mechanism. This work is an important first step in generating feasible, stable- and variable– bipedal gaits using this hardware design.
Adverse reactions of catecholamines in shock treatment

Catecholamines is an important part of the treatment of shock.Its best goal is not only to maintain the patient′s blood pressure, but also to increase the effective perfusion of tissues and organs, improve microcirculation and prevent multiple organ dysfunction.But in the current clinical practice, catecholamines are often "double-edged sword" . Therefore, focusing on the benefits of each catecholamine while taking into account the adverse reactions of the drug may be the key to finding the best solution. Key words: Catecholamine; Shock; Adverse reactions,
A problem in the theory of epidemics, II

Abstract In an earlier article the authors considered a deterministic epidemic model that accounts for certain threshold phenomena occuring in the spread of infection. The present article includes a major modification of the earlier model that allows individuals recovered from the infection to eventually become susceptible again to the infection. A set of five integral equations is derived from the basic assumptions concerning the spread of the infection. The basic theorem asserts existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence of a solution of these equations. The proof of these results is accomplished by a contraction mapping argument that also gives a simple proof of the earlier result. A minor modification of the earlier model also is included, which brings into the scope of this study some of the older epidemic models. Some numerical computation carried out for this problem is also described.
Association between e-cigarette use and sleep deprivation in U.S. Young adults: Results from the 2017 and 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Abstract Background Few studies have assessed the association between e-cigarette use and sleep deprivation. This is an important question given the rapid increase in e-cigarette use among young adults in recent years. Purpose To determine whether e-cigarette use is associated with sleep deprivation in a sample of young (18–24 years-old) American adults. Methods We used pooled cross-sectional data from the 2017 and 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), selecting respondents aged 18 to 24 from forty-one states and U.S. territories that included the e-cigarette and sleep modules in the interview (N = 19,701). Poisson regression models tested the relationship between e-cigarette use and sleep deprivation. We adjusted for sociodemographic variables, physical activity, mental health, BMI, smokeless tobacco products use, alcohol drinking, and smoking. Results In the pooled dataset, the weighted prevalence of current or former e-cigarette use was 47% and 35% of participants self-reported sleep deprivation. After adjusting for confounders, former e-cigarette users were 1.17 times more likely to report sleep deprivation, compared to never users (95%CI: 1.06, 1.29). The prevalence ratio for self-reported sleep deprivation increased to 1.42 (95%CI: 1.23, 1.65) for everyday users, compared to never e-cigarette users. Conclusions These findings suggest that e-cigarette use might be related to sleep deprivation in young adults. Future longitudinal studies should assess the causal and dose–response nature of this relationship.
A Systematic Vademecum to the Vascular Plants of Saba

Franklin S. Axelrod. 2020. A Systematic Vademecum to the Vascular Plants of Saba. Sida, Botanical Miscellany 55. (ISSN: 0883-1475; ISBN-13: 978-1-889878-56-0, flex-binding). Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press, 1700 University Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76107-3400, U.S.A. (Orders: shop.brit.org, orders@brit.org, 1-817-332-4441). $25.00 US, 170 pp., color photos throughout, 6.5" × 9.5".
An 18-month-old Girl with a Fleshy Mass in the Ear Canal.

1. Yixian Li, MD* 2. Samuel J. Huang, MD* 3. Michael J. McManus, MD* 1. *Department of Pediatrics, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Marshfield, WI 1. Address correspondence to Michael J. McManus, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Marshfield Clinic Health System, 1000 North Oak Ave, Marshfield, WI 54449. E-mail: mcmanus.michael{at}marshfieldclinic.org An 18-month-old previously healthy girl presents to her pediatrician’s office with fever, rhinorrhea and cough for 4 days. Her highest temperature at home was 102.4°F (39.1°C). Parents notice that her right eye is not closing as tightly as her left eye. This is particularly apparent when she cries. Otoscopic examination reveals that her right ear canal is occluded by “hard cerumen.” Removing the cerumen in the office causes minimal bleeding. The right tympanic membrane is partially visualized, appearing injected and bulging with purulent effusion. Examination confirms that the right eye does not close as tightly as the left eye when she cries. However, when the patient is calm, her facial expression appears symmetric. She is diagnosed with right acute otitis media and questionable right facial nerve palsy (Bell’s palsy). Parents are instructed to observe her symptoms of facial nerve palsy at home and return to clinic for evaluation if the symptom does not resolve spontaneously. She is treated with a course of amoxicillin for 10 days with apparent resolution of illness. Two weeks later, the patient is seen by another pediatrician for a well-child visit and is further treated with amoxicillin clavulanate for a persistent right ear infection. And 4 weeks after initial presentation, she is evaluated for intermittent bleeding from her right ear. Parents express concern for a foreign body in the ear canal. No concern for right eye closing is mentioned by parents during those visits, nor do pediatricians notice any facial asymmetry. A fleshy mass is noted in the …
Missing, presumed different: Quantifying the risk of attrition bias in education evaluations

We estimate the magnitude of attrition bias for 10 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in education. We make use of a unique feature of administrative school data in England that allows us to analyse post‐test academic outcomes for nearly all students, including those who originally dropped out of the RCTs we analyse. We find that the typical magnitude of attrition bias is 0.015 effect size units (ES), with no estimate greater than 0.034 ES. This suggests that, in practice, the risk of attrition bias is limited. However, this risk should not be ignored as we find some evidence against the common ‘Missing At Random’ assumption. Attrition appears to be more problematic for treated units. We recommend that researchers incorporate uncertainty due to attrition bias, as well as performing sensitivity analyses based on the types of attrition mechanisms that are observed in practice.
PTH-Independent Hypercalcemia in Undiagnosed Adrenal Insufficiency

In contrast to PTH-dependent hypercalcemia, the differential diagnosis of PTH-independent hypercalcemia is extensive. Thorough history and physical examination can help direct the clinician in the right direction and avoid extensive and unnecessary work up. A 27-year-old-female with a medical history significant only for untreated subclinical hypothyroidism was admitted to the hospital for hypercalcemia and acute kidney injury after presenting with dizziness, nausea, vomiting, dyspnea, and multiple syncopal episodes prior to admission. Serum calcium on presentation was elevated to 15.9 (8.5–10.2 mg/dL) with an intact parathyroid hormone level of 3.6 (8.5–75 pg/mL). On initial presentation, she was hypotensive, tachycardic, and was noted to be underweight with a body mass index of 17 kg/m2. The patient’s skin was diffusely hyperpigmented, with increased pigmentation in the creases of her hands and on the sides of her fingers. Further lab evaluation was remarkable for hyponatremia and hyperkalemia as well as an undetectable 8 AM cortisol of 1,250 (6–58 pg/mL), aldosterone <4 (<21 ng/dL), and plasma renin activity elevated to 18 (<0.6–3 ng/mL/h). Antibodies to 21-alpha hydroxylase were positive, confirming a diagnosis of Addison’s disease. Prior to the workup confirming an elevated ACTH and low cortisol levels, the patient was treated with aggressive intravenous fluid repletion and calcitonin with overnight improvement in calcium to 11.4 mg/dL. After the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency was confirmed, she was treated with stress doses of intravenous hydrocortisone then gradually tapered to physiologic doses of oral hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone with resolution of her hypercalcemia by the fourth day of hospitalization. Adrenal insufficiency is a known but uncommon cause of PTH-independent hypercalcemia, but the exact mechanism is unknown. Hypercalcemia is thought to result from a combination of a hypovolemic state seen in adrenal insufficiency which leads to decreased urinary calcium excretion as well as increased bone resorption, which may result from increased serum sclerostin concentrations. Adrenal insufficiency should be considered in the differential of PTH-independent hypercalcemia. This case highlights the improvement in hypercalcemia that is seen with correction of glucocorticoid deficiency, and supports delaying additional work up for other PTH-independent causes until appropriate treatment has been given.
Low-power Analog and Mixed-signal IC Design of Multiplexing Neural Encoder in Neuromorphic Computing

The research on computing clusters comprising neuromorphic systems has drawn the interest of many researchers in the field. Neural encoding is a crucial component that determines how the information is conveyed through a train of spikes, greatly impacting the mode of operations’ and systems’ performance to a large extent. Numerous encoding schemes have been proposed in the literature, including latency encoding, ISI encoding, and phase encoding. Each of these schemes has its own benefits and shortcomings which brings up the idea to see if they can complement each other. Multiplexing encoding combines two different schemes with the aim of enhancing the performance via conveying more information, making the encoded spikes more robust against noise. In this paper, we introduce a mixed-signal IC design of multiplexing latency-phase encoder. A key principle of the multiplexing encoding, the gamma alignment, is employed to achieve enhanced functionality of spiking neurons supported by biological research. In the proposed encoding scheme, a set of predetermined spiking neurons, which can be perceived as dimensionality reduction over the grouped higher-dimensional stimuli, maps the input currents to latency spike trains. Consequently, these spike trains are aligned and then superimposed on each other to form the resulting spike train. The simulation result is carefully inspected for verification of the encoder. The introduced power-efficient circuit is designed with 180nm CMOS technology and, to the best of our knowledge, is the first IC design of the multiplexing latency-phase that is built upon two different encoding schemes. The power consumption of the encoder is generally proportional to the number of neurons, and for a 4-neuron structure, the layout-level simulation result shows the circuit consumes 10mW of power.
A community-science approach identifies genetic variants associated with three color morphs in ball pythons (Python regius)

Color morphs in ball pythons (Python regius) provide a unique and largely untapped resource for understanding the genetics of coloration in reptiles. Here we use a community-science approach to investigate the genetics of three color morphs affecting production of the pigment melanin. These morphs—Albino, Lavender Albino, and Ultramel—show a loss of melanin in the skin and eyes, ranging from severe (Albino) to moderate (Lavender Albino) to mild (Ultramel). To identify genetic variants causing each morph, we recruited shed skins of pet ball pythons via social media, extracted DNA from the skins, and searched for putative loss-of-function variants in homologs of genes controlling melanin production in other vertebrates. We report that the Albino morph is associated with missense and non-coding variants in the gene TYR. The Lavender Albino morph is associated with a deletion in the gene OCA2. The Ultramel morph is associated with a missense variant and a putative deletion in the gene TYRP1. Our study is one of the first to identify genetic variants associated with color morphs in ball pythons and shows that pet samples recruited from the community can provide a resource for genetic studies in this species.
Is there an urban pesticide signature? Urban streams in five U.S. regions share common dissolved-phase pesticides but differ in predicted aquatic toxicity

Pesticides occur in urban streams globally, but the relation of occurrence to urbanization can be obscured by regional differences. In studies of five regions of the United States, we investigated the effect of region and urbanization on the occurrence and potential toxicity of dissolved pesticide mixtures. We analyzed 225 pesticide compounds in weekly discrete water samples collected during 6-12 weeks from 271 wadable streams; development in these basins ranged from undeveloped to highly urbanized. Sixteen pesticides were consistently detected in 16 urban centers across the five regions-we propose that these pesticides comprise a suite of urban signature pesticides (USP) that are all common in small U.S. urban streams. These USPs accounted for the majority of summed maximum pesticide concentrations at urban sites within each urban center. USP concentrations, mixture complexity, and potential toxicity increased with the degree of urbanization in the basin. Basin urbanization explained the most variability in multivariate distance-based models of pesticide profiles, with region always secondary in importance. The USPs accounted for 83% of pesticides in the 20 most frequently occurring 2-compound unique mixtures at urban sites, with carbendazim+prometon the most common. Although USPs were consistently detected in all regions, detection frequencies and concentrations varied by region, conferring differences in potential aquatic toxicity. Potential toxicity was highest for invertebrates (benchmarks exceeded in 51% of urban streams), due most often to the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid and secondarily to organophosphate insecticides and fipronil. Benchmarks were rarely exceeded in urban streams for plants (at 3% of sites) or fish (<1%). We propose that the USPs identified here would make logical core (nonexclusive) constituents for monitoring dissolved pesticides in U.S. urban streams, and that unique mixtures containing imidacloprid, fipronil, and carbendazim are priority candidates for mixtures toxicity testing.
Migraine Diagnosis and Symptomatology

Migraine remains a prevalent disease that can be hard to differentiate from other disorders with headache symptoms. It is an episodic disorder with possible characteristic symptoms prior to the headache, a headache phase, and the postdromal phase. The International Headache Society, an international professional headache association, has developed a tool to diagnose and classify migraines, which is routinely updated based on clinical evidence. The current version of this resource, the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3), subdivides migraine into the following six categories based on symptoms: migraine without aura, migraine with aura, chronic migraine, complications of migraine, probable migraine, and episodic syndromes that may be associated with migraine. Because this diagnostic classification relies on the quantity, quality, and duration of symptoms, finding ways to promote accurate reporting and minimize recall bias becomes important. For a small percentage of migraine sufferers, the disease can progress to a chronic condition with headaches >50% of days in the month resulting in significant disability and decreased quality of life. Understanding both the common and uncommon symptoms associated with migraine can help medical practitioners correctly diagnose the disease to more quickly initiate treatment.
Ego-centric Stereo Navigation Using Stixel World

This paper explores the use of passive, stereo sensing for vision-based navigation. The traditional approach uses dense depth algorithms, which can be computationally costly or potentially inaccurate. These drawbacks compound when including the additional computational demands associated to the sensor fusion, collision checking, and path planning modules that interpret the dense depth measurements. These problems can be avoided through the use of the stixel representation, a compact and sparse visual representation for local free-space. When integrated into a Planning in Perception Space based hierarchical navigation framework, stixels permit fast and scalable navigation for different robot geometries. Computational studies quantify the processing performance and demonstrate the favorable scaling properties over comparable dense depth methods. Navigation benchmarking demonstrates more consistent performance across high and low performance compute hardware for PiPS-based stixel navigation versus traditional hierarchical navigation.
Educational Opportunity for All: Reducing Intradistrict Funding Disparities

It is a common refrain in American education that the quality of a student’s education “should not depend on his or her zip code.” Yet American public education consistently falls short: Many schools and districts, in particular those with large populations of low-socioeconomic status (low-SES) and minority students, do not receive the funding necessary to provide their students with educational opportunities equal to those in wealthier schools. Plaintiffs in many states have sought to improve educational equity by using litigation to attack disparities in funding between districts. However, intradistrict inequity — the inequitable funding of schools within the same district — has persisted throughout the United States to the detriment of low-SES students around the country. This Note argues that these funding disparities can and should be addressed through both courts and policy changes. Students, families, and other parties harmed by intradistrict funding disparities should use state courts and state constitutions’ education clauses to extend previous interdistrict school funding victories and to force policymakers to implement more equitable intradistrict funding. Policymakers should implement school funding policies that promote comprehensive equity and take into account relevant student characteristics, including low socioeconomic status. These policies should promote comprehensive equity by providing all schools with base funding sufficient to give each student an adequate education and by distributing any funding beyond that amount equitably across schools in accordance with their students’ characteristics.
Laura M Hartman (ed.), That All May Flourish: Comparative Religious Environmental Ethics

Laura M Hartman (ed.), That All May Flourish: Comparative Religious Environmental Ethics (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018), 328 pp., $35.00 (pbk), ISBN: 9780100456030.
Genome Plasticity in Candida albicans

This chapter describes the different mechanisms of genome plasticity in Candida albicans and their impact on phenotypic plasticity, with an emphasis on recent advances in antifungal drug resistance. The average divergence between C. albicans genetic groups is approximately 2 million years. As a consequence, the recombination and genetic exchanges are most likely due to ancient mating events in C. albicans and not due to recent mating events. The requirement of sex to repair DNA damage may be moot in a diploid because sequences on homologous chromosomes can be used as templates to repair DNA breaks by an effective homologous recombination mechanism. The chapter gives a brief overview of some of the hypotheses that may particularly apply to C. albicans. A source of genome plasticity associated with recombination at MRS loci is chromosome translocation. The possibility exists that recombinations at the MRS can alter its structure and affect filamentation. In conclusion, the development of resistance to fluconazole can involve mutations at TAC1 and ERG11, as well as several genome plasticity events leading to loss of eterozygosity (LOH) and aneuploidy that affect these two genes as well as additional genes on chromosome 5.
CLINICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL CORRELATES IN IDIOPATHIC DELAYED PUBERTY (IDP)

Thirty five boys with idiopathic delayed puberty (IDP, defined as onset of testicular enlargement after age 14) were evaluated by pubertal staging, growth velocity (GV), bone age (BA), FSH, LH and testosterone (T) measurements. Pubertal staging was based on testicular measurement: length 2.5 cm =P1, 2.5-3.2 cm =P2, 3.3-4 cm =P3, 4.1-4.4 cm = P4, > 4.5 cm =P5. Testosterone, FSH and LH were measured by RIA, BA by the method of Gruelich and Pyle. Ages ranged from 14 to 18 years, One boy was at stage P1, 8 boys at P2, 18 boys at P3 and 8 boys at P4. Mean age/BA were not different among the P2, P3 and P4 groups 15.2/12.5, 15.1/12.6 and 15.8/13 respectively. Mean GV in P2 and P3 boys was not significantly different, 3.8 ± .36 cm/yr vs 4.8 ± .36, p>.05. GV in P4 group was 6 ± .86 cm/yr, significantly greater than P2 group P < 0.05, but not P3 group. Mean FSH/LH for P2, P3 and P4 groups were similar 4/7.4, 3.5/8.7 and 4/7.0 mIu/ml respectively. Mean T concentration in P2 group 65.6 ± 23 and P3 group 83 ± 21 ng/dl were not significantly different. T in P4 group 211.4 ± 37.7 ng/dl was significantly greater than the P2 and P3 groups. There was no correlation between GV vs BA, T vs BA, or T vs GV.
Hydrological impact of roadside ditches in an agricultural watershed in Central New York: implications for non-point source pollutant transport

Nonpoint source pollution and hydromodification are the leading causes of impairment to our nation's rivers and streams. Roadside ditch networks, ubiquitous in both rural and urban landscapes, intercept and shunt substantial quantities of overland runoff and shallow groundwater to stream systems. By altering natural flowpaths, road ditches contribute not only to hydromodification but also potentially to nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution by acting as hydrological links between agricultural fields and natural streams. Unfortunately, the impacts of these alterations on watershed hydrology and water quality are not well understood. Through a series of field measurements, including field surveys and discharge monitoring, this study examined the effect of road ditch networks on basin morphometry, field- and watershed-scale hydrology, and pollutant transport in a 38 km2 agricultural watershed in south-central NY. Salient findings include the following: (i) 94% of road ditches discharged to natural streams, effectively doubling the drainage density; (ii) on average, road ditches increased peak and total event flows in their receiving streams by 78% and 57%, respectively, but displayed significant variation across ditches; and (iii) ditches intercepted large quantities of surface and subsurface runoff from agricultural fields and therefore represent efficient conduits for the transport of agricultural NPS pollutants to sensitive receiving waterbodies. Our results provide useful information for hydrologists who wish to further understand how artificial drainage may be affecting watershed hydrology and for managers and engineers tasked with designing appropriate flood and NPS pollution control measures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Principles of conservation biology

Part I Introductory concepts: what is conservation biology? conservation values and ethics the species in conservation global biodiversity 1 - patterns and processes global diversity 2 - losses and threats. Part II Population-level considerations: genetics - conservation of diversity within species demographic processes - population dynamics on heterogeneous. Part III System-level considerations: community and ecosystem-level conservation - species interactions, disturbance regimes, and invading species habitat fragmentation conservation reserves in heterogeneous landscapes practical applications and human considerations management to meet conservation goals - applications conservation management case studies ecological restoration ecology, politics and economics - finding the common ground for decision making in conservation the role of institutions and policymaking in conservation conservation biologists in the policy process - learning to be practical and effective sustainable development case studies meeting conservation challenges in an uncertain future.
Organic photovoltaic devices

In this tutorial talk, I will discuss the principle of the organic solar cell, the designs of PV materials and devices, some important issues in device characterization, and review the recent progresses in this field.
Anisotropic charge transport in nonpolar GaN quantum wells: Polarization induced line charge and interface roughness scattering

Charge transport in GaN quantum well devices grown in the nonpolar direction is theoretically investigated. Emergence of a different form of anisotropic line charge scattering mechanism originating from anisotropic rough-surface morphology in conjunction with in-plane built-in polarization is proposed. It is shown that such scattering leads to a large anisotropy in carrier transport properties, which is partially reduced by strong isotropic optical phonon scattering.
WSI evolution: increasing cell size to generalize designs

The current state of the art of wafer-scale integration is explored in this paper. Problems which must be solved to generalize the applicability of products using wafer-scale integration are also discussed. The goal of this paper is to provide a framework for discussion on the future of wafer-scale integration, as well as to provide topics for future research. >
Watching the Watchers: Preventing I.R.S. Abuse of the Tax System,

As a result of broad outcries against the incompetence and aggressiveness of the I.R.S., Congress reined in its behavior, requiring it to focus on treating taxpayers as customers. Congress also created oversight bodies to ensure that the I.R.S. would comply with the new mandate. Though those oversight bodies face some difficulties — most notably, the unwillingness of Congress to adequately fund them — they nonetheless have proven effective at checking the I.R.S.’s misbehavior with regard to taxpayers.Congress has not, however, been as solicitous to the tax law itself. The I.R.S. can act in ways that violate both the letter and the intent of the tax law. Where such violations either provide benefits to select groups of taxpayers without directly harming others, or where the harm to taxpayers is de minimis, nobody has the ability or incentive to challenge the I.R.S. and require it to enforce the tax law as written.Congress could control the I.R.S.’s abuse of the tax law. Using insights from the literature of administrative oversight, this Article proposes that Congress provide standing on third parties to challenge I.R.S. actions. If properly designed and implemented, such “fire-alarm oversight” would permit oversight at a significantly lower cost than creating another oversight board. At the same time, it would be more effective at finding and responding to I.R.S. abuse of the tax system and would generally preserve the I.R.S.’s administrative discretion in deciding how to enforce the tax law.
Radar scattering properties of bicycles at 77 GHz

Collision avoidance systems are becoming a common a standard safety feature in newer or future cars. Some radars operating at 24 GHz have been successfully used in parking, lane changing, and blind spot detection. Newer 76–78 GHz radars are being developed and tested by car makers for their superior range and resolution. However, using cost effective vehicular radars in reliably detecting pedestrian and bicyclist with low false alarm rate still poses challenging due to many possible variations of these targets as well as the presence of other road objects. This paper focuses on studying the radar scattering characteristics of common bikes in stationary in the 76–78 GHz band with a goal of being able to design a more effective bicycle detection radar and detection algorithm.
A new hobo, Ac, Tam3 transposable element, hopper, from Bactrocera dorsalis is distantly related to hobo and Ac

Abstract A new transposable element from the hobo , Ac , Tam3 transposon family was isolated as a genomic clone from the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis . It is approximately 3.1 kb in length with 19-bp inverted terminal repeat sequences having a single mismatch. Though sharing several amino acid sequence identities with other hAT elements, it is distantly related to both hobo and Ac . Among hAT elements thus far described in insects, it is apparently the most distantly related to hobo .
An Inherited Male-Producing Factor in Aedes aegypti

An inherited factor causes a predominance of males in certain strains and in progeny of single pairs of Aedes aegypti L. This factor appears to be transmitted only by males and is not due to differential mortality, at least in postgametic stages. Mass release of male-producing males might be used in control operations.
Serotonin modulates induced synaptic activity in the optic tectum of the frog

Abstract The extent to which retinal signals are modulated at central sites is unknown. We sought to determine the effects of serotonin, a neurotransmitter present in the retinorecipient layers of the frog tectum, on retinotectal transmission. Acute electrical stimulation delivered to the retinorecipient layer of optic tectum brain slices was used to model the activation of tectal neurons by visual inputs. This stimulation evoked either a monosynaptic or a polysynaptic current response in patch-clamped tectal neurons. External application of serotonin blocked both of these induced currents as did 5-carbotryptamine (5-CT), a nonselective agonist of 5-HT1 receptors. Alpha-methylserotonin, a nonselective agonist of 5-HT2 receptors, also blocked polysynaptic responses but was less effective than either serotonin or 5-CT in blocking monosynaptic ones. Lateral synaptic interactions between tectal cells, modeled by acute electrical stimulation in the main cellular layer of the tectum, were also blocked by serotonin, 5-CT or α-methylserotonin. The presented data suggest that endogenous serotonin may strongly affect visual signal processing by modulating synaptic transmission between both the retina and the tectum as well as between tectal neurons. This modulation is likely to be due, at least in part, to a demonstrated outward current induced by serotonin in a subpopulation of tectal cells.
Surgical oncology fellowship: viable pathway to academic surgery?

Background: Data that document academic status after surgical oncology fellowship are sparse. This study was done to report the academic status and clinical practice of graduates of a major surgical oncology program. Methods: During the 10 years that ended in 1994, 68 fellows graduated. Each was surveyed about current academic status, number of jobs, job satisfaction, hours worked per week, and clinical practice. During 1995 and 1996, 11 fellows graduated. From this group, data were available on clinical practice while in fellowship (n = 6) and from the most recent year (ending July 1997) in a new position (n = 8). Results: Sixty-seven of the 68 (99%) who were fellows from 1985 to 1994 returned surveys. Most (69%) are in “academic full-time” positions. Of those who listed an academic rank, 51% and 27% are assistant or associate professors, respectively. Job satisfaction was reported at a mean of 4.2, median of 5, on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. Seventy-one percent remain at their first job, whereas 26% have had one previous position. The median number of hours worked per week was 70 (range, 45–100). Time allocation was patient care—60%; research—20%; education—10%; and administration—10%. Conclusions: Surgical oncology fellowship results in the majority placed in academic surgery, satisfied with their positions. Graduates are prepared for current practice patterns, and surgical oncology fellowship training should be suggested to residents interested in academic medicine.
Presidential roles and rhetoric

Abstract Traditional literature on the public dimensions of the American presidency suggests that the office has a significant impact upon the political lives of Americans and that contemporary presidents frequently appeal for public support to pressure other government elites. This study systematically analyzes rhetorical references to the presidency by examining a president's articulation of presidential roles in public speeches and press conferences. This study finds that Johnson, Nixon, and Carter did rhetorically refer to presidential roles, especially when confronted by crisis and controversy. The implication is that when confronted by serious controversy, presidents tell Americans about the responsibilities of the presidency in an effort to mobilize public support.
Convex Optimal Control Problems with Smooth Hamiltonians

Optimal control problems with convex costs, for which Hamiltonians have Lipschitz continuous gradients, are considered. Examples of such problems, including extensions of the linear-quadratic regulator with hard and possibly state-dependent control constraints, and piecewise linear-quadratic penalties are given. Lipschitz continuous differentiability and strong convexity of the terminal cost are shown to be inherited by the value function, leading to Lipschitz continuity of the optimal feedback. With no regularity assumptions on the limiting problem, epi-convergence of costs, which can be equivalently described by pointwise convergence of Hamiltonians, is shown to guarantee epi-convergence of value functions. Resulting schemes of approximating any concave-convex Hamiltonian by continuously differentiable ones are displayed. Auxiliary results about existence and stability of saddle points of quadratic functions over polyhedral sets are also proved. Tools used are based on duality theory of convex and saddle functions.
Nonlinear optical properties of ionic NLO chromophores: An attempt to bridge the gap between computation and experiment

We present a quantum chemical analysis of the molecular structure and first hyperpolarizabilities of a series of stilbazolium ions and compare their results with corresponding neutral molecules. The molecular geometries are obtained via B3LYP/6-31G** optimization, including the self-consistent reaction field/polarizable continuum model (SCRF/PCM) approach. The static first hyperpolarizabilities (β0) are calculated using the ab initio coupled perturbed Hartree–Fock (CPHF) method, while the dynamic first hyperpolarizability (β) is investigated using the ZINDO/correction vector (CV) method, including solvent effects. The effects of donor–acceptor properties, solvent polarity, the dispersion effect, and aggregation on the first hyperpolarizibility are methodically evaluated with an attempt toward developing the engineering guidelines for the enhancement of the molecular optical nonlinearities of charged chromophores. We compare our theoretical results with the experimental values wherever available in the literature and evaluate the results in detail about the agreements and disagreements between theoretical and experimental findings. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Vegetation dynamics and primary production in saline, lacustrine wetlands of a Rocky Mountain basin

Abstract In lacustrine wetlands of the semiarid Laramie Basin (Wyoming, USA), we investigated whether dominance by Chara spp. versus dominance by Potamogeton pectinatus alters the amount and form of organic carbon available to consumers. In these two wetland states, we compared relative biomass and production of different producer types (macrophytes, epiphyton, epipelon, and phytoplankton). Based on chlorophyll a measurements, light profiles, and a model of primary production, differences in relative biomass and production of different algal types depended mainly on combined effects of macrophyte growth form and water depth. Canopy density (kg m −3 ) of Chara spp. was at least twice that of P. pectinatus (1.3–3 versus 0.16–0.52 kg m −3 ), and Chara habitats also supported a much higher biomass of epiphyton than did P. pectinatus (80–224 versus 9–24 mg Chl a m −2 ). However, the lower canopy density of P. pectinatus , by providing better light conditions for phytoplankton and epipelon, led to similar total algal production. Models estimated 66–133 g C m −2 assimilated by algae in Chara habitats and 66–105 g C m −2 assimilated by algae in P. pectinatus habitats. Differences in the form of algal production might have trophic correlates. In Chara habitats where most algal production is epiphytic, earlier studies showed that macroinvertebrate consumers were mostly scrapers and epiphytic deposit-feeders (snails and amphipods). In P. pectinatus habitats where phytoplankton and epipelon are more important, consumers were mostly filter-feeders and often benthic deposit-feeders (cladocerans, copepods, and chironomid larvae). Despite these taxonomic differences, total invertebrate biomass between states was similar and may reflect similarities in total algal production. Our results indicate that the state shift in vegetation among saline, irrigation-driven wetlands is associated with major changes in relative production of different algal types, despite continued coverage of submersed macrophytes.
Divergence-Free \boldsymbol{\mathcal{H}}(\mathbf{div})-Conforming Hierarchical Bases for Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)

In order to solve the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations with a $\boldsymbol{\mathcal{H}}(\mathbf{div})$ -conforming element, a novel approach is proposed to ensure the exact divergence-free condition on the magnetic field. The idea is to add on each element an extra interior bubble function from a higher order hierarchical $\boldsymbol{\mathcal{H}}(\mathbf{div})$ -conforming basis. Four such hierarchical bases for the $\boldsymbol{\mathcal{H}} (\mathbf{div})$ -conforming quadrilateral, triangular, hexahedral, and tetrahedral elements are either proposed (in the case of tetrahedral) or reviewed. Numerical results have been presented to show the linear independence of the basis functions for the two simplicial elements. Good matrix conditioning has been confirmed numerically up to the fourth order for the triangular element and up to the third order for the tetrahedral element.