cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Preliminary Investigation of Parent-reported Fiction versus Non-fiction Book Preferences of School-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background & aimsAnecdotal evidence suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder prefer non-fiction books over fiction books. The current study was the first to investigate parent-report...
Medicolegal Issues in Robotic Surgery

The da Vinci® Surgical System is designed to improve minimally invasive surgeries by providing surgeons with enhanced precision and visualization and by enabling procedures that were otherwise considered too challenging without a robotic instrument. When expertly performed, these robotic minimally invasive procedures can help provide patients optimized recoveries when compared to traditional open surgeries. Robotic surgery, specifically with devices like the da Vinci® Surgical System, has seen rapid expansion and growth since the early 2000s. However, as the frequency of robotic procedures grows, so do complaints of system malfunctions and reports of patient injuries that may lead to lawsuits against stakeholders which include the device manufacturer, the hospital or institutions and their staff, as well as the surgeons and their associates. Each of these stakeholders involved in robotic surgery is responsible to uphold the highest level of training and care available to help a patient achieve a good outcome. This chapter aims to provide an overview of these stakeholder responsibilities, as well as to attempt to differentiate what each stakeholder is and is not responsible for when it comes to a legal complaint.
Wong-type dermatomyositis during anti-PD-1 therapy.

Checkpoint inhibitors used for cancer immunotherapy may also result in autoimmunity.1, 2 We present a case of Wong-type dermatomyositis complicating treatment with nivolumab, an inhibitor of the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor. Wong-type dermatomyositis is a rare variant of classic dermatomyositis with concurrent clinical and histopathologic findings mimicking pityriasis rubra pilaris.3 Our report of nivolumab-related Wong-type dermatomyositis expands the clinical spectrum of autoimmune diseases associated with checkpoint inhibitors.
The Impact of Speed and Cost on the Use of Information in the Selection Process

Researchers have called for more application of evidence-based information by managers in the workplace (Highhouse, 2008; Rousseau, 2006a, 2006b), and a growing literature stream has addressed ques...
Observation of long-term changes in the effective refractive index of light

During the LIGO S5 run (April 2006 to June 2007) preliminary data from the H1 interferometer recorded long-term changes in the effective refractive index of light over a 14 month period. These are due to the presence of external gravity gradients along the arms of the interferometer. After accounting for the effect of the tides, an unexpected twice-annual modulation was observed.
The Rise and Fall of the Consumption Tax: A Historical Perspective

This article will survey the great consumption vs. income tax debate from a historical perspective. The focus here is not on which tax base is better, but rather on how this debate evolved over time inside and outside legal academia. As we shall see, there was one point in which the consumption tax came close to being adopted - in 2005, when it was one of two alternatives recommended by the Bush tax reform panel. But the moment passed, and it seems unlikely to return.
Driven underground by (mis)trust

ABSTRACTStudies have shown that economic and institutional variables are among the causes of underground activities. However, the effect of cultural variables such as trust on informality and, in p...
Critiquing (And Repairing) the New International Tax Regime

In this Essay, I address three serious problems created — or left unaddressed — by the new U.S. international tax regime. First, the new international rules aimed at intangible income incentivize offshoring and do not sufficiently deter profit shifting. Second, the new patent box regime is unlikely to increase innovation, can be easily gamed, and will create difficulties for the United States at the World Trade Organization. Third, the new inbound regime has too generous of thresholds and can be readily circumvented. There are ways, however, to improve upon many of these shortcomings through modest and achievable legislative changes, eventually paving the way for more ambitious reform. These recommendations, which I explore in detail below, include moving to a per-country minimum tax, eliminating the patent box, and strengthening the new inbound regime. Even if Congress were to enact these possible legislative fixes, however, it would be a grave mistake for the United States to become complacent in the international tax area. In addition to the issues mentioned above, the challenges of the modern global economy will continue to demand dramatic revisions to the tax system.
A Comparison of Pain Management Protocols Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: Femoral Nerve Block versus Periarticular Injection of Liposomal Bupivacaine with an Adductor Canal Block.

BACKGROUND Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) results in significant postoperative pain and a demanding postoperative path for recovery. This study was conducted to determine whether a femoral nerve block (FNB) or a periarticular injection of liposomal bupivacaine with an adductor canal block (LB+ACB) is superior for pain management. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 557 consecutive primary TKA cases performed at a single hospital between 2010-2014 were retrospectively reviewed. After enrollment criteria were met, 390 cases remained (FNB=181, LB+ACB=209). Inpatient and post-discharge variables related to pain, narcotic use, healthcare resource utilization, and cost were compared. RESULTS There were no significant differences in demographics between the two groups. There was also no significant difference in inpatient postoperative pain between the two groups. The FNB group consumed fewer narcotics overall compared to the LB+ACB group (p<0.001). However, the LB+ACB group experienced fewer opioid-related adverse events (p<0.001). The LB+ACB group had a shorter length of stay (p<.001), fewer readmissions (p=0.017) and reoperations (p=0.025), and lower costs (p<0.001). DISCUSSION LB+ACB proved to be an equally effective postoperative TKA pain management tool compared to FNB while displaying superiority in other increasingly important areas such as length of stay and cost. The larger amount of narcotic consumption is a concern, however, and there may be a small population of patients for whom LB+ACB is not the best option.
Supporting Complex Multimodal Expression Around Representations of Data: Experience Matters

Reporting of STEM education research tends to privilege the verbal statements that students and teachers make. While some of this is likely an artifact of how research is typically reported in print-based publications media that are optimized to handle text, it is important to note that the actions that take place when talking about and learning STEM content are actually multimodal. That is, they involve deployment of several modes of expression that may include verbal utterances that lend themselves to transcription but also include gesture, actions, and use of physical space. This chapter proposes that for producing multimodal expressions about data, direct and embodied experience with the creation of data is a valuable resource. Two examples are presented. One involves the description and re-enactment of what actions produced the distributional shape of a histogram. The other involves students discussing what bodily actions would produce different box-and-whisker plots. Each shows the competence students have for thinking through data representations when they are able to physically enact what motions are associated with those representations.
The precise role of ethnicity and family history on aggressive prostate cancer: a review analysis.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the Western world (1–4). In the United States, it is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths after lung and bronchus carcinoma (1,2) No definitive causes of prostate cancer (PCa) have been identified to date but, increasing age, a positive family history and sub-Saharan African ancestry are strongly linked to its development (3,5). African-American men (AAM) have the highest reported incidence rates in the United States (1,2,6) and their mortality from the disease is markedly higher than that of European-American men (EAM) (7). Conversely, Asian-American men and Pacific Islanders (API), American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) men, and Hispanic men all have lower incidence and mortality rate as compared to EAM (1). The reasons for these differences are unclear. It is known that the socioeconomic factors, non financial barriers, cultural behaviors and genetic susceptibility vary among the groups (2,4,8,9–12). Its management (via measures ranging from primary prevention through screening to therapeutic intervention) imposes a substantial economic burden on individuals and society as a whole (13). The purpose of this review is to examine how ethnicity and family history impact on aggressiveness of local disease and disease recurrence.
Thermomechanical Fatigue of Unidirectional Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite in Space

Thermomechanical fatigue is one of the challenges for spacecrafts during space missions. As a result of the extreme temperature variation in space, thermal cycles are created, and due to the imposed mechanical loads to spacecrafts such as engine loads while they turn on and off, mechanical cycles are created. The worst structural fatigue for spacecrafts occurs when both thermal and mechanical cycles happen, simultaneously. The reason is that both thermal and mechanical cycles could cause stress concentration in the spacecraft structure. Therefore, the probability of crack initiation or propagation in the spacecraft structure increases. In this study, for the first time, novel thermomechanical fatigue relations are introduced to evaluate the safety of unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy composite in the space environment. This composite material has been used in the spacecraft structure due to its lightweight and high strength. Furthermore, with applying thermal fatigue relations, thermally-safe planets, moons, and asteroids in the solar system for unidirectional carbon fiber/epoxy composite are identified.
The Coriolis force and the direction of rotation of the blades significantly affect the wake of wind turbines

Abstract The aerodynamic interactions of wind turbines within a wind farm cause major energy losses. Yaw control is a promising active strategy to tackle this issue in real time during the operation of the plant. The wake of a wind turbine can be steered away from its downstream counterparts by imposing a yaw angle to its rotor. Studying the impact of intentional yaw misalignment on the performance of wind farms located in the northern hemisphere has revealed that, for columns aligned with the wind direction, positive yaw misalignment can lead to an overall increase in the annual energy production, while negative misalignment reduces it. Note that our emphasis is on the front-row turbine being the only yawed turbine of the column. Two unverified reasons have been proposed for the difference between the impact of positive and negative yaw misalignment: (i) the clockwise rotation of the turbine blades and (ii) the Coriolis effect. This paper investigates these two potential explanations by conducting six large-eddy simulations of flow through a wind farm of ten wind turbines located in the northern hemisphere. Results indicate that the Coriolis force and the direction of rotation of the blades both contribute to the inconsistency between the impact of positive and negative yaws on the net power production. The Coriolis force appears to be more influential. The difference between applying a positive and a negative yaw angle to the front-row turbine was found to be approximately 17%. This difference was reduced to almost 7% when the Coriolis force was relaxed, and to approximately 11% when the turbines were set to rotate counter clockwise. Note that a separate study is required to investigate this concept in the southern hemisphere.
Przeszukanie osoby i tzw. czynności podobne do przeszukania jako uprawnienia funkcjonariuszy Policji

Searching a person is an act carried out in criminal proceedings. The legislator also provides for acts similar to search a person, which are non-trial powers and they are taken on the basis of the Police Act. It is especially personal control, which is one of the most important Police’s administration and order-keeping powers. Personal control was the subject of a judgement of the Constitutional Tribunal, which led to significant changes in the Police Act. After the amendment to the regulations, there are three separate activities - a search of a person, a personal control and a new preventive check. The purpose of the article is to compare the indicated rights. The analyses include the premises and the purpose of taking activities, the scope of permitted activities and measures to protect a person against unlawful limitation of his rights and freedoms. The analyses made in the article allow for the assessment that, despite legislative changes, legal regulations are still not precise and do not allow to clearly define these activities. The most important objections are still raised to a personal control.
Evaporation in nano/molecular materials.

Abstract Evaporation is a physical phenomenon with fundamental significance to both nature and technology ranging from plant transpiration to DNA engineering. Various analytical and empirical relationships have been proposed to characterize evaporation kinetics at macroscopic scales. However, theoretical models to describe the kinetics of evaporation from nano and sub-nanometer (molecular) confinements are absent. On the other hand, the fast advancements in technology concentrated on development of nano/molecular-scale devices demand appropriate models that can accurately predict physics of phase-change in these systems. A thorough understanding of the physics of evaporation in nano/molecular materials is, thus, of critical importance to develop the required models. This understanding is also crucial to explain the intriguing evaporation-related phenomena that only take place when the characteristic length of the system drops to several nanometers. Here, we comprehensively review the underlying physics of evaporation phenomenon and discuss the effects of nano/molecular confinement on evaporation. The role of liquid-wall interface-related phenomena including the effects of disjoining pressure and flow slippage on evaporation from nano/molecular confinements are discussed. Different driving forces that can induce evaporation in small confinements, such as heat transfer, pressure drop, cavitation and density fluctuations are elaborated. Hydrophobic confinement induced evaporation and its potential application for synthetic ion channels are discussed in detail. Evaporation of water as molecular clusters rather than isolated molecules is discussed. Despite the lack of experimental investigations on evaporation at nanoscale, there exist an extensive body of literature that have applied different simulation techniques to predict the phase change behavior of liquids in nanoconfinements. We infer that exploring the effect of electrostatic interactions and flow slippage to enhance evaporation from nanoconduits is an interesting topic for future endeavors. Further future studies could be devoted to developing nano/molecular channels with evaporation-based gating mechanism and utilization of 2D materials to tune energy barrier for evaporation leading to enhanced evaporation.
Meta-analytic findings on lower reading skills in children with cochlear implants

This meta-analysis study aims to quantify the group differences in reading skills between children with cochlear implants and their hearing peers and between children with cochlear implants and children with hearing aids. Of the 5,642 articles screened, 47 articles met predetermined inclusion criteria. The robust variance estimation based meta-analysis models were used to synthesize all the effect sizes. Children with cochlear implants performed significantly worse than their hearing peers for phonological awareness (g = -1.62, p < .001), vocabulary (g = -1.50, p < .001), decoding (g = -1.24, p < .001), and reading comprehension (g = -1.39, p < .001), but not for fluency (g = -.67, p = .054). Children with cochlear implants only scored significantly lower in phonological awareness (g = -.30, p = .028) than children with hearing aids. The only significant moderator was the percentage of unilateral cochlear implant that negatively impact the group difference between children with cochlear implants and their hearing peers. Findings from this study confirm a positive shift in reading outcomes for profoundly deaf children as a consequence of cochlear implantation despite the poor scores in all constructs.
Third Generation Discrimination Part II: An Empirical Analysis of Judicial Decision Making

This research explores whether a judge’s gender, age, and tenure on the federal bench impacts a judge’s rulings on dispositive motions in Title VII gender discrimination claims. The empirical research project flows from the author’s earlier work on bias-based gender discrimination discussed in the article Third Generation Discrimination: The Ripple Effects of Gender Bias in the Workplace, 51 Akron L. Rev. 55 (2017) which expanded the previously recognized theory of Second Generation Discrimination to include a further layer of disruptive gender bias in the judiciary and jury. Both projects flow from a study of sociological data and analysis noting the role of implicit bias in decision-making and particularly the role of implicit gender bias in the evaluation of legal claims under Title VII. Third Generation Discrimination put forth the theory that a cycle of implicit gender bias in judicial decision making has created a next-level layer of discriminatory treatment in Title VII gender discrimination claims. The current research attempts to test the Third Generation Discrimination theory by evaluating a sample of Title VII gender discrimination claims heard in the federal courts for a 10 year period. The sample of cases is derived from a comprehensive research pool which included federal district and circuit court cases from January 2010 through April 2018. The research focuses on claims filed under Title VII based on allegations of gender discrimination in the workplace. The sample of cases studied narrows the full research pool to focus on cases wherein the Judge made or reviewed de novo a dispositive ruling, such as a ruling on a motion for Summary Judgment, and included a written opinion addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the Title VII gender discrimination claim. The sample includes cases premised on allegations of overt discrimination, sexual harassment, and implicit bias-based discrimination and includes cases wherein the federal Title VII claims are joined with other state and federal claims of discrimination. Cases included in the sample are noted as either favoring the plaintiff or defendant(s) and are also assigned an overall quality rating which indicates the strength of the case when evaluated pursuant to the underlying substantive law. Data is also gathered on the age, gender, Presidential appointment, and judicial tenure of the Judge making the dispositive ruling in each case included in the sample. The completed research project will assess relationships between the relevant data on the presiding judge and both the quality rating and outcome of the case. The analysis of this data will allow for the testing of the theory that judicial demographics impact decisions when the allegations in the case require an assessment of workplace climate and culture, possibly leading to important information regarding which judicial traits may affect the overarching success of Title VII gender discrimination lawsuits.
Prenatal caffeine exposure: association with neurodevelopmental outcomes in 9- to 11-year-old children.

Background Despite the widespread use of caffeine including consumption during pregnancy, the effect of prenatal caffeine exposure on child brain development and behavior is unclear. Methods To address this, we used data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (n = 11,875 children aged 9-11 years from 22 sites across the United States). We explored the associations between prenatal caffeine exposure and various developmental outcomes including birth outcomes, physical health, behavior problems, cognition, substance use and brain structure in children, and evaluated dose effects. Results Among 9,978 children (4,745 females) who had valid data for prenatal caffeine exposure and whose mothers did not use drugs of abuse after knowing of pregnancy, 4,170 (41.79%) had no prenatal caffeine exposure, 2,292 (22.97%) had daily, 1,933 (19.37%) had weekly, and 1,583 (15.86%) had less than weekly exposures. Prenatal caffeine exposure including the widely recommended 'safe' dose was associated with greater externalizing problems, whereas greater BMI and soda consumption were only observed in children with high dose exposures (3+ per day). Notably, the effect size for association of externalizing problems with prenatal caffeine exposure was comparable with that reported for prenatal alcohol (The American Journal of Psychiatry, 177, 2020 and 1060) and prenatal cannabis (JAMA Psychiatry, 78, 2020 and 64) exposures from previous ABCD publications. Additionally, prenatal caffeine exposure was associated with brain structural changes that included greater posterior and lower frontal cortical thickness and altered parietooccipital sulcal depth. Conclusions The recommended 'safe' dose of caffeine during pregnancy should be carefully studied to assess whether the behavioral and brain correlates observed here are clinically relevant and determine whether it needs adjustment. Because of the high prevalence of caffeine use in the general population, studies on prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse should include prenatal caffeine use as a covariate.
Thermal relaxations in polymer semiconductors and the impact on organic solar cell stability

As organic solar cell efficiencies continue to climb to heights that were hard to envision a decade ago they are becoming increasingly attractive for commercial adoption. However, there remains a need to address organic solar cell stability, both intrinsic operational stability as well as physical stability in likely applications, such as flexible power sources. In this talk, we discuss how the thermal relaxation behavior of the polymer semiconductor donor and small molecule acceptor can inform the expected stability of the solar cells. The thermal relaxation is probed in detail using dynamic mechanical analysis. The mechanical behavior is then correlated with the morphological stability of the active layers. We show that organic semiconductors that have a high elastic modulus and glass transition temperature have the greatest morphological stability. Interestingly these systems also show poor miscibility highlighting the relationship between processing, morphology, and stability. In addition, we show how the thermomechanical behavior of polymer: small molecule and polymer: polymer blends dictate film ductility and fracture toughness, which have direct implications on the stability of flexible devices.
Expression of receptor tyrosine kinases and apoptotic molecules in rhabdomyosarcoma: correlation with overall survival in 105 patients.

BACKGROUND. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare mesenchymal tumor with few treatment options after the failure of first-line therapy. Understanding the expression of kinases and apoptotic molecules in RMS tumors may lead to elucidation of mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy and development of new therapies. METHODS. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples were collected from 105 RMS patients treated at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and examined for the immunohistochemical expression of kinases and apoptotic molecules deemed potential therapeutic targets. Clinicopathologic information was collected on all patients and analyzed for correlation with overall survival (OS). RESULTS. Of the 105 patients, 44 (42%) were female and 89 (85%) were older than 10 years of age. The 5-year OS for this cohort was 24.7%, with inferior median OS in patients with genitourinary primary tumors and those with invasion through the deep fascial plane. Immunohistochemistry revealed Kit and c-erb-b2 to be present on 40% of tumors. Patients whose tumors expressed PDGFR-α were found to have a shorter median OS by multivariate analysis (26 vs 266 months, P = .076). Conversely, patients whose tumors expressed Bax were found to have a longer OS (31 vs 19 months, P = .047). CONCLUSIONS. EGFR, PDGFR-α, PDGFR-β, Bcl-2, and Bax are frequently expressed in human RMS tissue and may represent new therapeutic targets. Absence of PDGFR-α and the presence of Bax are associated with a longer median OS in patients with RMS. Targeting these molecules may be a successful therapeutic strategy. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
A lower bound for the mixed /spl mu/ problem

The mixed /spl mu/ problem has been shown to be NP hard so that exact analysis appears intractable. Our goal then is to exploit the problem structure so as to develop a polynomial time algorithm that approximates /spl mu/ and usually gives good answers. To this end it is shown that /spl mu/ is equivalent to a real eigenvalue maximization problem, and a power algorithm is developed to tackle this problem. The algorithm not only provides a lower bound for /spl mu/ but has the property that /spl mu/ is (almost) always an equilibrium point of the algorithm.
Analysis of the 5'-terminal nucleotide sequences of ribonucleic acids. II.

Ribosomal ribonucleic acids /RNA/ terminal nucleotide sequences analysis based on hydroxyl group enzymatic phosphorylation
Tumor metabolic volume and total glycolytic activity and outcome in patients with lung cancer

1894 Objectives To establish metabolic tumor volume and total glycolytic activity as prognostic biomarkers of outcome in patients with lung cancer. Methods Thirty nine patients with lung cancer who had an initial staging PET/ CT at our institution between March 2007 and May 2009 were included in the study. Metabolic tumor volume and total glycolytic activity were measured by PET Edge, 38%, 50% and 60% SUVmax threshold segmentation techniques using MIMvista 3D contouring software. Unpaired t test was performed for between group analysis and Pearson correlation was performed between segmentation methods and survival time. Results The mean age of patients (18 females and 21 males) was 67.6 (±10.6) years. The mean follow up time was 16.92 (±11.4) months. Twenty patients (51%) were dead and nineteen patients (49%) were alive. Stages of the cancers include stage 1 (n=10), stage 2 (n=6), stage 3 (n=16) and stage 4 (n=7). The mean SUVmax of patients who died was 12.7 (±3.6) and those alive was 13((±7.6) (p=0.9). The mean PET edge MTV of patients who died was 75 (95% CI 25.7-124) and those who alive was 21.9 (95% CI 5.2-38.6) (p=0.04). There were non significant results for all other segmentation methods for MTV and TGA. There was significant inverse correlation between 38% SUVmax threshold MTV and duration of survival (r = - 32%; p=0.05). Conclusions Metabolic tumor volume segmented by PET edge and 38% SUVmax threshold method are prognostic markers of survival in lung cancer
Teaching and Learning about Teaching and Learning

The Art of Teaching and Learning: Best Practices from a Master Educator. By Patrick Allitt. Chantilly, VA: The Teaching Company, 2010. 12 hours of DVD material plus paperback course guidebook. This is not a traditional “book” review, but a consideration of a series of 24 half-hour lectures designed to consider a significant range of teaching issues, primarily in higher education. Its publisher, The Teaching Company offers nearly 400 high-quality non-credit courses in a variety of media on everything from music appreciation to particle physics. History Professor Patrick Allitt, who directed Emory's Center for Teaching and Curriculum, is the primary lecturer. Allitt draws additional material from interviews with six colleagues at very different institutions. Among them are faculty in dedicated business programs, medical schools, and specialists in offering various introductory courses to large lecture halls full of students. Also included are clips of classroom activities and student interviews. Allitt is a somewhat gawky Brit with a tendency toward monotonic presentation, not some siren-voiced svengali capable of teaching managerial ethics, forensic entomology, or quantum computing to heads of cabbage by dint of pure charisma. If he can teach teachers about teaching, it will be the result of skill and insight, and not intangibles or non-transferables. This set of lectures has real value, though some areas are covered more effectively than others, and some suggestions should generate real controversy. The course promises something for everyone in the realm of education. Allitt tries, albeit mostly unsuccessfully, to make connections between instruction in higher education and teaching challenges in other venues, like job-related training. The value of these lectures is not their reach across educational contexts, but in the breadth …
Challenges to CBRN Medical Countermeasures Development

The public health threat of biological and chemical agents has persisted for centuries; that of radiation-emitting and nuclear agents for more than a half-century. But it is only in the past decade that the pace of efforts to address these threats has accelerated to the point where we might now take a step back and evaluate what has been accomplished and, based on what we have learned, how we might proceed. This article first recognizes the unique challenges presented by the need for medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) agents and then examines early twenty-first century efforts to develop them. Because of both the 2001 occurrence of an anthrax release in the United States and the subsequent robust investment in medical countermeasures for this and other biothreat agents, a focus on biodefense will provide useful examples. Nonetheless the issues raised, with necessary modifications, pertain equally to other threat agents as well. The subsequent discussion of future directions for CBRN drugs and vaccine research is based on unanswered questions regarding countermeasure safety and efficacy. Keywords: CBRN; drugs; vaccines; drug development; challenges; medical countermeasures
Empty square as a hard-layer for MRAM

In this paper, we propose a new design , which utilizes "empty squares" or narrow squares or narrow rings as the basic element for the fabrication of hard layer of MRAM. At remanence a stable bi-domain state called the "onion" state is observed. The onion state corresponds to each half of the square ring, on either side of the diagonal, having the same magnetization orientation and forming head-to-head and tail-to-tail domain walls.
Non-consumptive predator effects indirectly influence marine plant biomass and palatability

Summary 1. Predators can reduce herbivory and increase plant biomass by consuming herbivores, lowering individual herbivore feeding rates, or both. We tested whether the presence of predators increases plant quality by non-consumptively reducing grazing pressure and thereby weakening the strength of the induced response in plant chemical defences. 2. We performed a 42-day outdoor mesocosm experiment in which the herbivorous amphipod Ampithoe longimana was cultured on the brown seaweed Sargassum filipendula in the presence and absence of olfactory cues of its principal fish predator, the pinfish Lagodon rhomboides. The presence of fish cues reduced per capita rates of amphipod grazing by nearly 50%. Over the span of the mesocosm experiment, this per capita reduction in feeding rate yielded at least a 40% lower growth rate of amphipod populations (i.e. r reduced from 1.01 to 0.61). The lower rates of amphipod grazing (overall or per capita) correlated with higher algal biomass. 3. We pursued a series of laboratory-based feeding choice assays with naive amphipods to determine tissue palatability and the plant traits that mediate feeding choices. Tissue from tanks without grazers was more palatable than tissue from tanks with grazers, a pattern of induced plant defences that has been documented previously. Surprisingly, however, plant tissue from tanks with grazers and fish cues was more palatable than tissue from tanks with grazers but without fish cues. All changes in algal palatability were mediated by polar, but not lipophilic metabolites. These results suggest that the non-consumptive effects of fish predators increases the food quality of Sargassum by weakening the strength of its induced chemical defences. 4.Synthesis. The smell of predators has the potential to regulate herbivore populations and affect the ecological dynamics of plant biomass and chemical defences.
Anomalies in the Joint Cross Section of Equity and Corporate Bond Returns

If equity and corporate bond markets are integrated, risk premia in one market should appear in the other, and their magnitudes should be consistent with each other. We use this insight to examine the cross section of equity and corporate bond returns. Some anomaly variables (e.g., profitability and net issuance) do not predict bond returns, and for others bond returns are too large compared with loadings on corresponding equity and standard risk factors. Factor risk premia in these markets tend to differ. These discrepancies in return premia widen with noisy investor demand and short-sale impediments, thus suggesting potential market segmentation.
Potentiation of Francisella resistance to conventional antibiotics through small molecule adjuvants

A screen of 20 compounds identified small molecule adjuvants capable of potentiating anitbiotic activty against Francisella philomiragia. Analogue synthesis of an initial hit compound led to the discovery of a potentially new class of small molecule adjuvants containg an indole core. The lead compound was able to lower the MIC of colistin by 32-fold against intrinsically resistant F. philomiragia.
Crystal growth of (La,Sr)2CuO4 by float zone melting

Abstract High quality single crystals of La2 − xSrxCuO4 (x = 0.15, 0.20) have been successfully grown using the floating zone method. Stoichiometric feed rods were prepared with a density high enough to directly zone refine. The chemical composition of the molten zone was allowed to establish itself during the first few zone lengths, thus no nonstoichiometric seed rod was necessary. Neutron diffraction shows the boule is composed of several large grains. The grain boundaries are found to be Sr-rich, containing La2SrCu2O6. Electron microscopy, X-ray back-reflection Laue and AC susceptibility data are used to characterize the crystals.
Reactive melt infiltration of silicon-molybdenum alloys into microporous carbon preforms

Investigations on the reactive melt infiltration of silicon-1.7 and 3.2 at.% molybdenum alloys into microporous carbon preforms have been carried out by modeling, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and melt infiltration experiments. These results indicate that the pore volume fraction of the carbon preform is a very important parameter in determining the final composition of the reaction-formed silicon carbide and the secondary phases. Various undesirable melt infiltration results, e.g. choking-off, specimen cracking, silicon veins, and lake formation, and their correlation with inadequate preform properties are presented. The liquid silicon-carbon reaction exotherm temperatures are influenced by the pore and carbon particle size of the preform and the compositions of infiltrants. Room temperature flexural strength and fracture toughness of materials made by the silicon-3.2 at.% molybdenum alloy infiltration of medium pore size preforms are also discussed.
3-Acetylpyridine-induced degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system: An animal model of olivopontocerebellar atrophy-associated parkinsonism

The effects of 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP) administration to rats on the mesotelencephalic dopamine system were assessed. A single 3-AP injection resulted in biochemical and immunohistochemical evidence of degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Six weeks after 3-AP treatment decreases in both striatal dopamine content and the activity of the catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase were observed. Immunohistochemical examination suggested a decreased density of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers and revealed the emergence of a distinctly patchy organization of the dopamine innervation to the dorsolateral striatum. While 3-AP administration resulted in biochemical and anatomical data consistent with the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine fibers, no significant changes in dopamine content or the density or pattern of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers in the anteromedial prefrontal cortex or nucleus accumbens were seen. These data suggest that 3-AP administration may result in a relatively specific degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Since 3-AP causes both a profound loss of the climbing fiber input to the cerebellum derived from the inferior olivary nucleus, and the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons, 3-AP administration may provide a useful model of olivopontocerebellar atrophy-associated parkinsonism. Moreover, the differences in the neurotoxicity caused by 3-AP and that elicited by another pyridine which causes striatal dopamine depletion (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, MPTP) may offer important insights into the mechanisms of both species- and site-specific pyridine neurotoxins.
Robotic surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism

Open cervical parathyroidectomy is the standard of care for the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP). However, in patients with a history of keloid or hypertrophic scar formation, the cosmetic result may sometimes be unsatisfactory. Furthermore, in the presence of mediastinal glands, a more morbid approach is sometimes necessary, involving a sternal split or thoracotomy. Robotic parathyroidectomy, either transaxillary or transthoracic, could be an alternative in both settings. Between 2008 and 2013, 14 patients with PHP and a well-localized single adenoma underwent robotic transaxillary cervical (TAC) (n = 8) or transthoracic mediastinal (TTM) (n = 6) parathyroidectomy at an academic tertiary medical center and their outcomes were analyzed. All 14 operations were completed successfully as planned. For TAC and TTM parathyroidectomies, mean operative time was 184 and 168 min, respectively. With the exception of one TTM patient, intraoperative PTH determination indicated a >50 % drop in all patients 10 min after excision and no patients presented with recurrent disease on follow-up. Average length of hospital stay was 1 day after TAC parathyroidectomy and 2.2 days after TTM. On a visual analog pain scale (0–10), average pain scores after TAC were 6/10 on postoperative day 1 and 1/10 on day 14, compared to 7.7/10 and 1.5/10, respectively, after TTM. Complications included development of seroma in 1 patient in the TAC group and pericardial and pleural effusion in 1 patient in the TTM cohort. This initial study shows that robotic TAC and TTM parathyroidectomy are feasible in selected PHP patients with preoperatively well-localized disease. Although the TAC approach offers a potential cosmetic benefit in patients with a history of keloid or hypertrophic scar formation, a more generalized use cannot be recommended based on current evidence. The robotic TTM approach presents a minimally invasive alternative to resections previously performed through thoracotomy and sternotomy.
A Case of Plasmodium ovale wallikeri Infection in a Chinese Worker Returning from West Africa

In contrast to the gradual reduction in the number of locally transmitted malaria cases in China, the number of imported malaria cases has been increasing since 2008. Here, we report a case of a 39-year-old Chinese man who acquired Plasmodium ovale wallikeri infection while staying in Ghana, West Africa for 6 months in 2012. Microscopic examinations of Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood smears indicated Plasmodium vivax infection. However, the results of rapid diagnostic tests, which were conducted 3 times, were not in agreement with P. vivax. To further check the diagnosis, standard PCR analysis of the small-subunit rRNA gene was conducted, based on which a phylogeny tree was constructed. The results of gene sequencing indicated that this malaria is a variant of P. ovale (P. ovale wallikeri). The infection in this patient was not a new infection, but a relapse of the infection from the one that he had contracted in West Africa.
Recognition of DNA by Three Ferric Uptake Regulator (Fur) Homologs in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis contains three Fur homologs: Fur, PerR, and Zur. Despite significant sequence similarities, they respond to different stimuli and regulate different sets of genes. DNA target site comparisons indicate that all three paralogs recognize operators with a core 7-1-7 inverted repeat. The corresponding consensus sequences are identical at five or more of the seven defined positions. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the Per box at the mrgA promoter was altered to mimic the core 7-1-7 motif of the Fur and Zur boxes. In vitro, the mrgA promoter containing a Zur box was only recognized by Zur, as demonstrated by DNase I footprinting assays. In contrast, both Fur and PerR bound to the mrgA promoter region containing a consensus Fur box. Expression analysis of these promoters is consistent with the in vitro data demonstrating as few as 1 or 2 base changes per half-site are sufficient to alter regulation. Similarly, the Fur box at the feuA promoter can be converted into a Per or a Zur box by appropriate mutations. While both Fur and PerR could recognize some of the same synthetic operator sequences, no naturally occurring sites are known that are subject to dual regulation. However, the PerR-regulated zosA gene is controlled from a regulatory region that contains both Per and Fur boxes. Although purified Fur protein bound to the candidate Fur boxes, Fur has little effect on zosA expression—possibly due to the location of the Fur boxes relative to the zosA promoter. Together, our results identify two nucleotide positions that are important for the ability of PerR, Fur, and Zur to distinguish among the many closely related operator sites present in the B. subtilis genome.
Multiple-method CTOA Stable Tearing Characterization of Three Metallic Alloys

Over the past several years, the crack tip opening angle (CTOA) has been identified as one of the most promising fracture parameters with which to characterize low constraint stable tearing and instability in structural metallic alloys. This study presents the results of experimental stable tearing characterizations performed on three typical structural metallic alloys, two aerospace grade aluminums and a titanium alloy. Specific attention is given to the measurement methods used and the correlation between CTOA and δ5. The effects of the material and the measurement method on CTOA are observed, and a clear relationship is seen.
POSTOPERATIVE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF CARDIAC VERSUS RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS.

Abstract The differential diagnosis of postoperative cardiac and pulmonary complications leading to dyspnea, cyanosis and hypotension is discussed. In the presence of airway obstruction, the conditions to be differentiated are left ventricular failure, obstructive pulmonary emphysema and pneumonia. In the absence of airway obstruction, one must differentiate pulmonary embolism and infarction from pulmonary atelectasis.
Localized wave functions in the theory of cohesion. III. Model calculations for the alkaline earths and cadmium

Model calculations of the cohesive properties of the alkaline earths and cadmium were performed using a bond approach to metals based on localized wave functions of the Wannier type. The model corresponds to the empty-core plane-wave model of Ashcroft. The properties investigated were the cohesive energy, lattice parameter, compressibility, $P\ensuremath{-}V$ relation, and energy of an electron at the bottom of the conduction band. The results are in satisfactory agreement with experiment and show that a localized-electron theory can be used in a practical way to describe cohesion in metals. A comparison of our calculation to other recent treatments of cohesion is also given.
A q-umbral calculus

Abstract An algebraic setting for the Roman-Rota umbral calculus is introduced. It is shown how many of the umbral calculus results follow simply by introducing a comultiplication map and requiring it to be an algebra map. The same approach is used to construct a q-umbral calculus. Our umbral calculus yields some of Andrews recent results on Eulerian families of polynomials as corollaries. The homogeneous Eulerian families are studied. Operator and functional expansions are also included.
Radius-dependent polarization anisotropy in semiconductor nanowires

Polarization anisotropy in semiconductor nanowires is studied using the standard eight-band $\mathbf{k}∙\mathbf{p}$ theory. We show that the anisotropy ratio ranges from giant $(\ensuremath{\sim}90%)$ to moderate $(\ensuremath{\sim}60%)$ for the nanowire radius between 3 and 10 nm. Our result resolves an apparent contradiction between a recent tight-binding study [M. P. Persson and H. Q. Xu, Phys. Rev. B 70, 161310(R) (2004)], which predicts 100% anisotropy, and an earlier $\mathbf{k}∙\mathbf{p}$ study [P. C. Sercel and K. J. Vahala, Phys. Rev. B 44, 5681 (1991)], which predicts 60% anisotropy independent of radius. We show that with proper inclusion of band mixing, the $\mathbf{k}∙\mathbf{p}$ theory agrees well with the tight-binding study on anisotropy.
Total Synthesis of (±)-Cavicularin: Control of Pyrone Diels–Alder Regiochemistry Using Isomeric Vinyl Sulfones

An intramolecular pyrone Diels–Alder reaction–elimination retro-Diels–Alder cascade of a vinyl sulfone was used in the synthesis of cavicularin, a molecule possessing conformational chirality. The vinyl sulfone substitution pattern allowed for regiocontrol in the Diels–Alder cascade event.
Heavy Minerals on Continental Shelf of Northern Bering Sea: ABSTRACT

Much of the Chirikov basin floor, which is carpeted with relict sand, has more heavy minerals than Norton Sound where modern fine-grained sediments dominate. In addition, the western section of the Chirikov basin is broadly divisible into two areas with relatively high concentrations of heavy minerals, separated by an area of low heavy-mineral content that trends approximately northwest-southeast. The northern areas seems to be richer in garnet (especially the pink type), epidote, and chloritoid. Staurolite, though present in small amounts, is consistently present in higher proportions in these sediments than in the sediments of the southern area. The northern sediments probably were derived either directly or indirectly from the metamorphic and other rocks of Seward Peni sula, whereas the provenance for the southern sediments is in the rocks of St. Lawrence Island. Compared with Chirikov basin, the heavy minerals of many of the deeper areas of Norton Sound consist of more ortho- and clinopyroxene and lesser amounts of garnet, and are relatively more rounded and suggest a Yukon River source. The Yukon River sediment apparently has encroached on areas of the extreme eastern section of the Chirikov basin. The heavy minerals of the sediments of shallower and nearshore areas of Norton Sound differ from those of the deeper areas and indicate derivation from nearby land sources. End_of_Article - Last_Page 464------------