cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for water use efficiency as an important factor in determining the δD values of tree leaf waxes

D/H ratios of sedimentary leaf waxes can provide useful information about past climate change. However, factors controlling dD values of higher plant leaf waxes (dDwax) are poorly understood. Here we show that dDwax values are negatively correlated with d 13 C values of leaf waxes (d 13 Cwax), based on a study of 35 leaf samples of 11 tree species around Blood Pond, Massachusetts (USA). Our data suggest that plant water use efficiency exerts an important control on the dDwax variation among tree species. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effects of haylage and monensin supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, and ruminal metabolism of feedlot cattle fed diets containing 60% dried distillers grains

The objectives of this research were to determine the interaction of monensin and haylage sup- plementation for steers fed 60% dried distillers grains (DDGS) on 1) mineral status, performance, and carcass characteristics, and on 2) ruminal pH, H 2S, and short- chain fatty acid concentrations. In Exp. 1, Angus-cross steers (n = 168; BW = 277 ± 67 kg) were blocked by BW and allotted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to 24 pens. Dietary treatments were 1) 0 mg of monensin/kg of diet + 0% haylage, 2) 33 mg of monensin/kg of diet + 0% haylage, 3) 0 mg of mo- nensin/kg of diet + 10% haylage, and 4) 33 mg of mo- nensin/kg of diet + 10% haylage. The remainder of the diet was 60% DDGS, 10% corn silage, 15% supple- ment, and corn (either 5 or 15%) on a DM basis. When supplemented with 0 mg of monensin/kg of diet, added haylage increased ADG by 5.7%, whereas when sup- plemented with 33 mg of monensin/kg of diet, added haylage increased ADG by 13% (P 0.05) on plasma mineral concentrations were observed; however, over time, plasma Cu concen- trations decreased (P < 0.01), whereas plasma ceru- loplasmin and S concentrations increased (P < 0.01). There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.08) on carcass characteristics. Cattle fed the 60% DDGS diets benefit- ted from increased dietary forage, and the effects of monensin and forage were additive for ADG and final BW. In Exp. 2, ruminally fistulated steers (n = 8; BW = 346 ± 34 kg) were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design and were randomly assigned to the diets used in Exp. 1. Haylage inclusion increased ruminal pH from 1.5 through 12 h postfeeding, and the effects of monensin supplementation were additive (P < 0.05). From 1.5 through 9 h postfeeding, steers fed 33 mg of monensin/kg of diet tended to have reduced (P ≤ 0.10) concentrations of H2S when compared with steers fed 0 mg of monensin/kg of diet. Acetate:propionate ratios at 6 h postfeeding were 0.94, 0.93, 1.29, and 1.35 for diets 1 to 4, respectively (P < 0.01); total lactate was decreased regardless of treatment (range: 0.94 to 1.42 μmol/mL). Sulfuric acid in DDGS, not ruminal short- chain fatty acids, may be responsible for the low rumen pH observed and may influence the maximum inclusion of DDGS in cattle diets. Monensin supplementation de- creased H2S concentration and may decrease the risk of polioencephalomalacia for cattle fed high-DDGS diets.
Androgen Correlates of Socially Induced Changes in the Electric Organ Discharge Waveform of a Mormyrid Fish

Weakly electric fish from the family Mormyridae produce pulsatile electric organ discharges (EODs) for use in communication. For many species, male EODs are seasonally longer in duration than those of females, and among males, there are also individual differences in EOD duration. While EOD elongation can be induced by the administration of exogenous androgens, androgen levels have never before been assessed under natural or seminatural conditions. By simulating the conditions occurring during the breeding season in the laboratory, we provide evidence of a sex difference in EOD duration as well as document levels of circulating androgens in males. In this study, we analyzed the nature of social influences on male EOD duration and plasma androgen levels in Brienomyrus brachyistius. Individual males, first housed with a single female and then placed into social groups consisting of three males and three females, showed status-dependent changes in EOD duration. Top-ranking males experienced a relatively large increase in EOD duration. Second-ranking males experienced a more modest increase, and low-ranking males experienced a decrease in EOD duration. These changes were paralleled by differences in circulating levels of plasma 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), but not testosterone, suggesting that the changes in EOD duration may have been mediated by changes in plasma 11-KT levels. Thus, it appears that EOD duration is an accurate indicator of male status, which is under social and hormonal control.
Dry snuff is associated with a high oro-pharyngeal cancer risk in Western countries

Abstract Original Article Rodu B, Cole P. Smokeless tobacco use and cancer of the upper respiratory tract. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Path Oral Radiol Endod 2002;93(5):511–5. Level of Evidence 3 Purpose To determine cancer risk of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract associated with different types of smokeless tobacco Source of Funding Unrestricted gift from the United States Tobacco Company (for more information see http://main.uab.edu/smokersonly/show.asp?durki=63619 ) Type of Study/Design Synthesis of 20 case-control studies and 1 cohort study
An "Intelligent" Optical Design Program

Described is a general approach to the development of computer programs capable of designing image-forming optical systems without human intervention and of improving their performance with repeated attempts. The approach utilizes two ideas: 1) interpretation of technical design as a mapping in the configuration space of technical characteristics and 2) development of an "intelligent" routine that recognizes global optima. Examples of lens systems designed and used in the development of the general approach are presented, current status of the project is summarized, and plans for the future efforts are indicated.
Obesity and Marital Quality Analysis of Weight, Marital Unhappiness, and Marital Problems in a U.S. National Sample

Obesity is a stigmatized condition that clinical studies have suggested is associated with low marital quality. Body weight, marital unhappiness, and marital problems were examined in a national telephone survey of 1,980 married adults. Few relationships between the 5 measures of weight and 2 measures of marital quality (unhappiness and problems) were significant. Obese men had more marital problems. Men who lost more weight reported marital problems less often. Obese women reported less marital unhappiness. Men and women who gained weight were happier with their marriages. These population-based findings differ from popular beliefs and clinical studies and may be interpreted using family functioning, social norms, and marital exchange models.
Field identification of the cryptic vespertilionid bats, Myotis lucifugus and M. yumanensis

Recent advances in molecular techniques have provided new tools for confirming species identities, however they can be expensive and results are not immediately available. Myotis lucificugus and M. yumanensis are morphologically cryptic species of bats sympatric in western North America that can be difficult to distinguish in the field. We evaluated a set of models that used morphological and echolocation call characters obtained in the field to predict species identity as determined by DNA analysis. We constructed models using data from 98 M. lucifugus and 100 M. yumanensis captured throughout the Pacific Northwest from which we had obtained high-quality, time-expansion recordings of their echolocation calls. The best model for distinguishing the species combined forearm length and characteristic frequency of echolocation calls and was able to identify 92% of M. lucifugus and 91% of M. yumanensis individuals, with ≥ 95% confidence. We evaluated the applicability of our model by testing it on additional datasets. Our model correctly classified 83% of M. lucifugus (n = 30) and 93% of M. yumanensis (n = 29) individuals captured in north-central Oregon, whose echolocation calls were recorded using a zero-crossings echolocation detection system. It also correctly classified 86% of M. lucifugus (n = 22) and 85% of M. yumanensis (n = 26) individuals, captured throughout our study area, for which only poor-quality time-expansion recordings of echolocation calls were obtained. Combining morphometrics with echolocation call characteristics may be a useful approach for distinguishing among pairs of cryptic species of bats in other areas.
Environmental Threats to the Symbiotic Relationship of Coral Reefs and Quorum Sensing

The coral reefs are declining in vitality and quantity in all parts of the world. Microbiomes exist symbiotically on the individual coral polyps. With this understanding comes the idea that microbiomes may coordinate survival through their inhabiting microbe colonies in order to sustain the life of the coral polyps. Of particular interest is quorum sensing, a form of bacterial communication known to coordinate gene expression in density-dependent bacteria. The importance of understanding the symbiotic relationship between microbes’ use of quorum sensing and the coral it inhabits may offer insight in how microbiological colonies promote reef health and how external toxins alter these molecular processes.
Validation of the 30-Day Postoperative Mortality Standard and Its Relevance.

In March 2015, The New York Times reported on a patient in her 90s who underwent valve replacement surgery complicated by progressive deterioration.1 The surgeons were optimistic that she would recover, recommended aggressive care, and deferred palliative care options until postoperative day 30, by which time the patient had developed sepsis with multiorgan failure. She died on postoperative day 31. Did the surgeons purposefully delay death beyond 30 days? Concerns have been raised that public disclosure of 30-day postoperative mortality as a metric of surgical quality might result in either reluctance of surgeons to operate on high-risk patients or delaying death until after 30 days. In this issue of JAMA Surgery, Smith and colleagues2 look at 3 years of surgerywithin theVeteransHealthAdministration (VHA) and present data on 30-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day overall survival. The authors calculated survival by deciles of risk for mortality. In all surgical specialties, survival at 30 dayswas associatedwithpatient risksandcorrelatedwellwith subsequent survival up to 1 year. Mortality between postoperative days 25 and35by riskdecile showednoevidenceofdelayeddeath.The authorsconcludedthat therewasnocompromise inpatientcare tomeet the 30-daymortality metric. Thus, the 30-daymortalitymetric was validated as a standard surgical metric. The authors2 acknowledge that their study could not discern any unethical behavior that might delay care or treatment to meet the 30-day mortality metric. In addition, this study did not measure whether surgeons refused to operate on high-risk patients to avoid a death at 30 days. The VHA has taken the lead in measuring quality of surgical care throughtheNationalSurgicalQualityProgram,which was later adopted by the American College of Surgeons. The programs didwell over time and,within the VHA system, improvedmortality from3.2% in 1994 to 1.0% in2014.3 TheVHA hasalso taken the lead in implementingpatient-centeredcare, but availablemetrics donot account for patient-informeddecisions that can adversely affect those metrics. As advocated by Schwarze et al,4 it is time to align quality metrics with outcomes that patients value. Quality metrics, such as 30-day mortality, are now used in publicreporting social media and pay-for-performance programs, resulting in care that is now metrics driven rather than patient centered. We can and should realign patient care with metrics that matter through well-established and developed processes of care.5 Quality metrics initially developed to improve systems and processes of care should continue to be refined to take into consideration the care that matters to patients and is of value to both patients and the health care system.
Language for Communication: Language as Rational Inference

Perhaps the most obvious hypothesis for the evolutionary function of human language is for use in communication. Chomsky has famously argued that this is a flawed hypothesis, because of the existence of such phenomena as ambiguity. Furthermore, he argues that the kinds of things that people tend to say are not short and simple, as would be predicted by communication theory. Contrary to Chomsky, my group applies information theory and communication theory from Shannon (1948) in order to attempt to explain the typical usage of language in comprehension and production, together with the structure of languages themselves. First, we show that ambiguity out of context is not only not a problem for an information-theoretic approach to language, it is a feature. Second, we show that language comprehension appears to function as a noisy channel process, in line with communication theory. Given si, the intended sentence, and sp, the perceived sentence we propose that people maximize P(si|sp), which is equivalent to maximizing the product of the prior P(si) and the likely noise processes P(si ! sp). We show that several predictions of this way of thinking of language are true:
A label-free approach by infrared spectroscopic imaging for interrogating the biochemistry of diabetic nephropathy progression

Routine histology, the current gold standard, involves staining for specific biomolecules. However, untapped biochemical information in tissue can be gathered using biochemical imaging. Infrared spectroscopy is an emerging modality that allows label-free chemical imaging to derive biochemical information (such as protein, lipids, DNA, collagen) from tissues. Here we employed this technology in order to better predict the development of diabetic nephropathy. Using human primary kidney biopsies or nephrectomies, we obtained tissue from 4 histologically normal kidneys, 4 histologically normal kidneys from diabetic subjects, and 5 kidneys with evidence of diabetic nephropathy. A biochemical signature of diabetic nephropathy was derived that enabled prediction of nephropathy based on the ratio of only 2 spectral frequencies. Nonetheless, using the entire spectrum of biochemical information, we were able to detect renal disease with near-perfect accuracy. Additionally, study of sequential protocol biopsies from 3 transplanted kidneys showed biochemical changes even prior to clinical manifestation of diabetic nephropathy. Thus, infrared imaging can identify critical biochemical alterations that precede morphologic changes, potentially allowing for earlier intervention.
Blood group antigen loci demonstrate multivariate genetic associations with circulating cellular adhesion protein levels in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

The cellular adhesion pathway is critical in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, and genetic factors contributing to regulation of circulating levels of related proteins may be relevant to risk prediction of cardiovascular disease. In contrast to conducting separate genome-wide protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) mapping analyses of each individual protein, joint genetic association analyses of multiple quantitative traits can leverage cross-trait co-variation and identify simultaneous regulatory effects on protein levels across the pathway. We conducted a multi-pQTL (mpQTL) analysis of 15 proteins related to cellular adhesion assayed on 2313 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). We applied the MQFAM multivariate association analysis method in PLINK on normalized protein level residuals derived from univariate linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, and principal components of ancestry. Race/ethnicity-stratified analyses identified nine genome-wide significant (P < 5e−08) loci associated with co-variation of protein levels. Although the majority of these SNPs were in proximity to structural genes of the assayed proteins, we discovered multiple loci demonstrating co-association with the circulation of at least two proteins. Of these, two significant loci specific to non-Hispanic white participants, rs17074898 at ALOX5AP (P = 1.78E−08) and rs7521237 at KIAA1614 (P = 2.2E−08), would not have met statistical significance using univariate analyses. Moreover, common patterns of multi-protein associations were discovered at the ABO locus across race/ethnicity. These results indicate the biological relevance of blood group antigens on regulation of circulating cellular adhesion pathway proteins while also demonstrating race/ethnicity-specific co-regulatory effects.
The Attributes Sought in Sports Apparel: A Ranking

Sports apparel has changed the way Americans dress, thereby affecting the apparel design and retailing industry. The state of the industry is described using four sources of data: a national study, a convenience study of college students, a telephone survey of merchandise managers, and a focus group female college coaches in the southeastern United States. Cross usage of apparel by athletes and non-athletes, the demographic profile of the consumers, and performance and aesthetic characteristics of apparel sought by purchasers are discussed. Recommendations are made for the apparel designer and merchandiser to better satisfy the desires of the consumers.
Grass crop supply chains

Commodity markets for grass feedstocks do not exist, and therefore supply chains must be designed for individual biorefineries and bioenergy conversion facilities. The essential stages in a grass crop supply chain are harvest, storage, transport, and handling. Grass crop supply chains may also include densification, drying, and other forms of preprocessing as well as pretreatments that chemically alter grass feedstock. The essential entities of the grass crop supply chain are biomass producers or custom harvesters, brokers/suppliers, commercial haulers, preprocessors, pretreatment providers, storage providers, and the bioenergy facility or biorefinery. All stages of the supply chain are interrelated, and innovation within any particular stage may alter choices in other portions of the supply chain. The basic process of grass crop supply chain design includes a feasibility study followed by detailed analysis of supply chain stages and optimization analysis and then materials and services procurement. Multiobjective optimization models are widely available to assist grass crop supply chain design optimization. Scientific and technological challenges to scaleup grass-based bioenergy are being addressed through public policy and other government interventions. Sustainability continues to be an important challenge in grass-based bioenergy development and expansion. Innovation in enzyme technology, bridging markets, and payments for ecosystem services may help future maturity of grass-based bioenergy with important implications for grass crop supply chains.
Binding of Daptomycin to Lipid Bilayers is not Significantly Altered by the Inclusion of Lysyl-Phosphatidylglycerol

In many bacterial cytoplasmic membranes, including that of Staphylococcus aureus, approximately 20 mol% of the diacylphosphatidylglycerol fraction in the cytoplasmic membrane is esterified to the amino acid lysine. This secondary modification leads to the formation of a net-cationic membrane lipid, which reduces the negative surface charge of the bacterial membrane. Elevated levels of lysyl-phosphatidylglycerol (LPG) are associated with increased bacterial resistance to a number of cationic antibacterial peptides, including the clinically important calcium-dependent lipopeptide antibiotic daptomycin. Inclusion of lysylated phospholipids in mixtures of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (POPG) has been shown to effectively protect lipid vesicles against leakage of contents induced by the alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides RP-1, mastoparan X, and cecropin A. However, peptide binding to the lipid bilayer was only significantly reduced at LPG fractions exceeding 30 mol%. Here, we investigated whether binding of daptomycin to lipid vesicles containing mixtures of POPG, POPC and LPG is affected in ways similar to that of alpha-helical peptides. We find that daptomycin binds calcium ions in aqueous solution with an apparent dissociation constant on the order of 10 mM. In general, binding of daptomycin to lipid bilayers depends strongly on calcium and the fraction of POPG in the mixture. However, when 20 mol% of POPG are replaced by LPG, daptomycin binding is only minimally affected. We also show that daptomycin does not cross the lipid bilayer into the vesicle lumen in giant lipid vesicles. These data suggest that clinical daptomycin resistance in S. aureus strains is caused by mechanisms beyond an LPG-mediated reduction in daptomycin binding.
End-Stage Congestive Heart Failure in the Adult Population: Ventricular Assist Devices

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality within the adult population. If these patients progress to the end stages of this disease, then heart transplantation or ventricular support devices are required. However, due to a shortage of donor hearts, the use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) as either a bridge to transplant or destination support has grown dramatically as a therapy. Furthermore, with the increased use of these devices, there have been major efforts to develop these technologies as well.
Effect of parathyroid hormone-like peptides on 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1 alpha-hydroxylase activity in rodents

The role of vitamin D metabolism in the humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy syndrome (HHM) is unclear. We studied in vivo and in vitro effects of synthetic parathyroid hormone-like peptides (PTH-LPs) on rodent renal 25-OHD-1 alpha-hydroxylase activity. Infusion of mice with PTH-LP-(1-36) at 10 pmol/h for 12 and 24 h showed significant (429 +/- 139% and 937 +/- 413%, respectively) stimulation of control enzyme activity. Infusion for 36 h demonstrated diminution of activity to levels nearer to the unstimulated state (228 +/- 36% of control). In that maximal activity was observed after 24 h of infusion, we examined 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity after variable dosages of PTH-LP-(1-36) at this time point. Animals infused with PTH-LP-(1-36) at dosages of 2.5, 10, and 30 pmol/h for 24 h demonstrated 1 alpha-hydroxylase activities of 0.71 +/- 0.12, 4.74 +/- 2.09, and 9.91 +/- 1.01 ng.mg protein-1.20 min-1 (means +/- SD), respectively, all significantly greater than control activity (0.51 +/- 0.20 ng.mg protein-1.20 min-1). PTH-LP-(1-36) and PTH-LP-(1-74) were comparable in potency to bovine (b)PTH-(1-34) in stimulating 1 alpha-hydroxylase. Direct in vitro incubation of PTH-LP-(1-36) with renal slices resulted in stimulation of 1 alpha-hydroxylase activity up to 200% of control levels, comparable to that seen with equimolar concentrations of bPTH-(1-34).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of microwave radiation on growth of rice

The seeds of three rice pure lines were treated with six different microwave radiation durations to study the effects of microwave radiation on the growth of first generation.The results showed that the germination rate of seeds was decreased with the increase of microwave radiation time,while the tillering was increased.The duration from seeding to heading of three rice pure line as treated with different microwave radiations decreased 2-7 days as compared to the control.Most of microwave radiation treatments were not beneficial to regulate the yield components of two rice pure lines R225 and Minghui 63,resulting in decrease in the yield per plant.As treated with 70 seconds one time or 50 seconds every time for three replications,the total grains per panicle,seed setting rate and 1000-grain weight of pure line Te B could be balanced,and the yield per plant was increased.Therefore,different microwave radiation treatments had different bio-effects on the growth of different rice pure lines,and the results could provide basis to the radiation mutation breeding of rice.
Traits and Virtues

EXCEPTIONS FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL As we have seen, Kant's ethics holds that our duties are determined by an attempt to universalize our actions. Because it is impossible to conceive of a world in which everyone lies and breaks his promises in order to get what he wants, there is a duty not to engage in actions such as lying and promise breaking. In such a world, no one would be willing to accept the word of anyone else. Indeed, no one would have an incentive to give his word to others in the first place. Appeals to truth and fidelity would be laughed off for what they really are in such a world – very thinly veiled attempts by actors to get what they want. Although it is impossible for us to conceive of a world in which everyone lies and breaks promises, we can conceive of a world in which only some individuals tell lies or break promises. If an individual gives a careful description of the action to be universalized, then she seemingly avoids the contradiction. For example, can Martha Stewart imagine a world in which everyone named “Martha Stewart” engages in exception-making behavior? Of course she can! Yet it is clearly not in the spirit of Kant's categorical imperative for Martha Stewart to consider a world in which only she (and maybe a few others who share her name) tells lies and break promises to get her (their) way.
Targeted Molecular Imaging of Cancer Cells Using MS2-Based 129Xe NMR

We have synthesized targeted, selective, and highly sensitive 129Xe NMR nanoscale biosensors using a spherical MS2 viral capsid, Cryptophane A molecules, and DNA aptamers. The biosensors showed strong binding specificity toward targeted lymphoma cells (Ramos line). Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR signal contrast and hyper-CEST 129Xe MRI image contrast indicated its promise as highly sensitive hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR nanoscale biosensor for future applications in cancer detection in vivo.
Software Reporting Metrics

A set of software development indicators has been prepared by the ESD/MITRE Software Center for use by program managers at the Air Force Electronic Systems Division (ESD). These metrics can be used to help track the progress of software development by providing better visibility into the development process. This paper describes the metrics and a strategy for their application and reporting.
1.45 Å resolution structure of SRPN18 from the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) in insects function within development, wound healing and immunity. The genome of the African malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae, encodes 23 distinct serpin proteins, several of which are implicated in disease-relevant physiological responses. A. gambiae serpin 18 (SRPN18) was previously categorized as non-inhibitory based on the sequence of its reactive-center loop (RCL), a region responsible for targeting and initiating protease inhibition. The crystal structure of A. gambiae SRPN18 was determined to a resolution of 1.45 A, including nearly the entire RCL in one of the two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The structure reveals that the SRPN18 RCL is extremely short and constricted, a feature associated with noncanonical inhibitors or non-inhibitory serpin superfamily members. Furthermore, the SRPN18 RCL does not contain a suitable protease target site and contains a large number of prolines. The SRPN18 structure therefore reveals a unique RCL architecture among the highly conserved serpin fold.
Dehydroxylation and diagenetic variations in diatom oxygen isotope values

Abstract Numerous studies have documented changes in the dissolution and reactivity of biogenic silica as it is transferred from the water column to sediment archives; here we present the first experimental data that demonstrate a physical mechanism by which the oxygen isotope (δ18Osil) values of biogenic silica (diatoms) are altered during early diagenesis. The δ18Osil value of diatom silica cultured at 19.3 °C was +31.9‰ ± 0.2‰ (n = 6); the same silica experimentally aged in an artificial seawater media at near silica saturation at 85 °C had an average δ18Osil value of +27.1‰ ± 0.6‰ (n = 20). The most significant change in the δ18Osil value was coincident with an initial reduction in the total silanol abundance, indicating that the timing of dehydroxylation reactions in natural sedimentary environments is associated with diagenetic changes in the recorded δ18Osil values. The rate of change in the experimental aging environment at 85 °C was rapid, with significant changes in both silanol abundance and δ18Osil values. Additionally, the silica–water fractionation relationship recorded by the experimentally-aged samples approaches the equilibrium quartz–water fractionation factor. The linear rate law was used to estimate the timing of these changes in low temperature environments; the initial and most significant change in silica reactivity and δ18Osil values is likely to occur on the order of 10’s of years at 4 °C. Published silica–water fractionation factors for sedimentary diatoms most likely represent a combination of growth and diagenetic environments, and the δ18O value of diagenetic water needs to be addressed when using δ18Osil values to reconstruct paleoceanographic and paleoenvironmental conditions.
Low Family Support and Risk of Obesity among Black Youth: Role of Gender and Ethnicity.

Most studies on the role of family environment in developing risk of obesity among youth have focused on parenting behaviors that are directly involved in energy balance in regional, non-representative White samples. Using a national sample of ethnically diverse Black youth, the current study tested the association between low family support and risk of obesity. We also tested the heterogeneity of this association based on gender, ethnicity, and their intersection. We used data from the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), a national survey of Black adolescents in the United States. The study enrolled 1170 African American and Caribbean Black 13–17 year old youth. Obesity was defined based on the cutoff points of body mass index (BMI) appropriate for age and gender of youth. Family support was measured using a five-item measure that captured emotional and tangible social support. Age, gender, and ethnicity were also measured. Logistic regressions were utilized in the pooled sample, and also based on gender, ethnicity, and their intersection, to test the link between low family support and risk for obesity. Results: In the pooled sample, low family support was not associated with an increased risk of obesity (OR = 1.35, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.96–1.89). The association between low family support and risk of obesity was, however, significant among African American females (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.01–2.55). There was no association for African American males (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 0.82–1.92), Caribbean Black males (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.01–54.85), and Caribbean Black females (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.42–1.44). In conclusion, policies and programs that enable African American families to provide additional family support may prevent obesity among African American female youth. Future research should test the efficacy of promoting family support as a tool for preventing obesity among African American female youth.
Evaluation of the Yale New Haven Readmission Risk Score for Pneumonia in a General Hospital Population

Abstract Background The Yale New Haven Readmission Risk Score (YNHRRS) for pneumonia is a clinical prediction tool developed to assess risk for 30-day readmission. This tool was validated in a cohort of Medicare patients; generalizability to a broader patient population has not been evaluated. In addition, it lacks indicators of functional status or social support, which have been shown in other studies to be predictors of readmission. The objective of this study was to evaluate the generalizability of the YNHRRS for pneumonia in a general population of hospitalized patients, and assess the impact of incorporating measures of functional status and social support on its predictive value. Methods This retrospective chart review comprised all patients admitted to a 563-bed academic medical center with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia between March 2014 and March 2015. Abstraction of clinical variables allowed calculation of the YNHRRS and additional indicators of functional status and social support. The primary outcome was 30-day readmission rate. We created a logistic regression model to predict readmission using the YNHRRS, functional status, and social support as covariates. Results Among 270 discharges with pneumonia, the observed readmission rate was 23%. The YNHRRS was a significant predictor of readmission in our multivariate model, with an odds ratio of 2.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.29-3.73) for each 10% increase in calculated risk. Indicators of functional status and social support were not significant predictors of readmission. Conclusions The YNHRRS can be applied to an unselected population as a tool to predict patients with pneumonia at risk for readmission.
Philosophical and Legal Aspects of the Disease Concept of Alcoholism

This discussion under the rubric “philosophical analysis” raises what might broadly be called logical and conceptual questions pertinent to the #x201C;disease concept of alcoholism.#x201D; The aim is to discover in what specific senses the concept may embody logically and scientifically viable claims. Procedurally, the first aim is to develop criteria of relevance and to use these to identify meaning-components that can plausibly be assigned to the #x201C;disease concept of alcoholism.#x201D; The next procedural aim is to assess the viability of each such component by a process that interweaves logical analysis with reference to the basic relevant scientific evidence. The procedure will therefore include reporting authoritative review and comment on the upshot of the scientific evidence, but it is the logical bearing of that evidence on the conceptual issues that is the specific concern here, not scientific critique of the evidence itself. (Discussion from the scientific standpoint of many of these issues will be found in the essay by Kissin in this volume.)
Upstairs, Downstairs: Atrial and Ventricular Cardiac Myocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Cardiomyocyte creation by human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) has generated opportunities for heart repair, disease modeling, and drug development. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Lee et al. (2017) report prospective markers of atrial versus ventricular myocyte formation from hPSCs and their use in directed differentiation of cardiac sub-lineages.
Dynamic load balancing of massively parallel unstructured meshes

Simulating systems with evolving relational structures on massively parallel computers require the computational work to be evenly distributed across the processing resources throughout the simulation. Adaptive, unstructured, mesh-based finite element and finite volume tools best exemplify this need. We present EnGPar and its diffusive partition improvement method that accounts for multiple application specified criteria. EnGPar's performance is compared against its predecessor, ParMA. Specifically, partition improvement results are provided on up to 512Ki processes of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility's Mira BlueGene/Q system.
A Lower-Division Mathematics Curriculum Consisting of a Year of Calculus and a Year of Discrete Mathematics

The authors considered the problem of writing a curriculum for the first two years of college mathematics that would consist of a year of calculus and a year of discrete mathematics. They imposed the further constraint that it should be possible to take either year alone, and therefore to take both in either order. It was recognized that this constraint exacts certain costs, such as some need for repetition and fewer opportunities for cross-references; but it was intended that the additional flexibility should provide for the needs of a wide variety of undergraduate students, with the understanding that in many cases (e.g. for students concentrating in mathematics, computer science, engineering, or certain physical sciences) additional courses would be needed.
Monumental Landscapes and the Politics of Place: The First Lenin to Fall

On August 1, 1990, there was an unprecedented event in the Ukrainian town of Chervonohrad: a crowd gathered at the central square and, for the first time in the USSR, demolished a monument to Lenin. The demolition caused a political scandal and was the first of a chain of Lenin statue topplings all over Soviet Ukraine and beyond. Chervonohrad’s deconstruction is often compared to the array of Lenin statue demolitions that took place during the 2013-14 Ukrainian Revolution. Yet, this historic comparison does not answer the question: why was Chervonohrad, out of all the Soviet political centres and peripheral towns, meant to go down in history in this monumental way? Although the transformation of monumental landscapes has been among the most studied aspects of the post-Soviet condition, it has often been approached unilaterally. The studies of dismantled monuments have explored the largest scale of national and international politics, national imageries, and historic myth. The overwhelming attention paid to major metropolitan areas overshadowed the importance of place politics, local actors, and power relationships within former Soviet republics. As a result, the transformation of Soviet monumental landscapes has been sometimes misread as a top-down geopolitical process over the plain and ghostly backgrounds of post-Soviet metropolitan cityscapes. This article questions the scales and methods used to study monumental deconstruction. While national politics were undoubtedly an integral part of Chervonohrad’s milestone event, this study aims to understand the complex causes that led to the removal of the monument through Chervonohrad’s politics of place, the history of urban displacement and appropriation, and the agents and constellations that made this demolition possible .
Mining the Virome for Insights into Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Although environmental factors interplay with genetic susceptibility to promote immune dysregulation and disease, it remains unclear as to which potential environmental factors are causative and not simply correlative. Despite many hints that the microbiome can have a profound effect on T1D, significant changes in bacterial gut flora and diversity appear to emerge only after the detection of early signs of T1D. Surprisingly, we recently found significant differences in the gut virome preceding the initial signs of T1D, raising the tantalizing possibility that the state of the virome may influence or predict whether susceptible individuals progress on the path to disease. The challenge will be to discern whether there is likely a causative relationship between detected virome differences and T1D.
Sufficient Conditions for Optimality and Supported Trajectories for Optimal Control Problems Governed by Volterra Integral Equations

In the work presented below we investigate sufficient conditions for optimality for optimal control problems whose dynamics are governed by a Volterra integral equation.
Controlled Dynamic Systems Modeling

In recent years, many researchers have studied simulation of combined control and mechanical systems. Interest in this area is growing as more mechanical systems utilize some type of control system. This is especially evident in the field of robotics. To date, the disciplines of control theory and mechanical system dynamics have been brought together in only an adhoc manner. This paper describes a general purpose simulation program which models combined control and mechanical systems.
A Practical Guide to Small-Area Projections

In this chapter, we present a set of guidelines summarizing the material described throughout the book. These guidelines are intended as a road map leading the analyst through the projection process. There are three basic steps. First is to determine exactly what is needed in terms of demographic characteristics, geographic regions, length of projection horizon, and time and budget constraints. Second is to choose the appropriate projection methods, collect and evaluate the input data, adjust for special events, and construct the projections. Third is to review and document the results. These guidelines will not answer every question, but they will provide a checklist highlighting the issues that must be considered and the choices that must be made. We believe they will help the analyst make reasonable choices and—perhaps more important—avoid potentially disastrous pitfalls.
Blocky bromination of syndiotactic polystyrene via post-polymerization functionalization in the heterogeneous gel state

This work demonstrates the successful blocky bromination of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS-co-sPS-Br) copolymers containing 6–30 mol% p-bromostyrene units, using a post-polymerization functionalization method conducted in the heterogeneous gel state. For comparison, a matched set of randomly brominated sPS-co-sPS-Br copolymers was prepared using homogeneous (solution-state) reaction conditions. The degree of bromination and copolymer microstructure were evaluated using 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR spectra of gel-state (Blocky) and solution-state (Random) copolymers exhibit strikingly different resonance frequencies and peak intensities above 6 mol% Br and provide direct evidence that functionalization in the gel state produces copolymers with non-random “blocky” microstructures. Quenched films of the Blocky copolymers, analyzed using ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), show micro-phase separated morphologies, which further supports that the Blocky copolymers contain distinct segments of pure sPS and segments of randomly brominated sPS unlike their completely Random analogs. Crystallization behavior of the copolymers, examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), demonstrates that the Blocky copolymers are more crystallizable and crystallize faster at lower supercooling compared to their Random analogs. Computer simulations of the blocky copolymers were developed based on the semicrystalline morphology of a 10 w/v% sPS/CCl4 gel, to rationalize the effect of heterogeneous functionalization on copolymer microstructure and crystallization behavior. The simulations were found to agree with the microstructural analysis based on the NMR results and confirm that restricting the accessibility of the brominating reagent to monomers well removed from the crystalline fraction of the gel network produces copolymers with a greater prevalence of long, uninterrupted sPS homopolymer sequences. Thus, the blocky microstructure is advantageous for preserving desired crystallizability of the resulting blocky copolymers.
A Validation Study of Maternal Early Warning Systems: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective We compare validation characteristics of four early warning systems for maternal morbidity. Study Design We used a retrospective cohort of severe maternal morbidity cases between January 2016 and December 2016 compared with a cohort of controls. We determined if the modified early obstetric warning score (MEOWS), maternal early recognition criteria (MERC), modified early warning system (MEWS), or maternal early warning trigger (MEWT) would have alerted. We developed criteria to determine which of these alerts was considered clinically “relevant.” Results We reviewed 79 morbidity cases and 123 controls. MEOWS and MERC were more sensitive than MEWS or MEWT (67.1 and 67.1% vs. 19% and 40.5%, p Conclusion There are limited comparative data regarding how early warning systems perform in an American population for maternal morbidity. None of the systems performs with high sensitivity and specificity. High-volume, high-acuity units may decide that the lower sensitivity of the MEWT is relatively acceptable when considering the high false trigger rate of the other more sensitive systems. In addition, triggers in the MEWT system were more likely to be clinically relevant even in cases that did not have severe morbidity.
Association of C2, a derivative of the radial artery pressure waveform, with new onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus: the MESA study.

Although microvascular dysfunction is known to result from diabetes, it might also lead to diabetes. Lower values of C2, a derivative of the radial artery pressure waveform, indicate microvascular dysfunction and predict hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We studied the association of C2 with incident diabetes in subjects free of overt CVD. Among multi-ethnic participants (n = 5214), aged 45–84 years with no diabetes, C2 was derived from the radial artery pressure waveform. Incident diabetes (N = 651) was diagnosed as new fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL or antidiabetic medicine over ~ 10 years. The relative incidence density (RID) for incident diabetes per standard deviation (SD) of C2 was studied during ~ 10 years follow-up using four levels of adjustment. Mean C2 at baseline was 4.58 ± 2.85 mL/mmHg × 100. The RID for incident diabetes per SD of C2 was 0.90 (95% CI 0.82–0.99, P = 0.03). After adjustment for demographics plus body size, the corresponding RID was 0.81 (95% CI 0.73–0.89, P < 0.0001); body mass index (BMI) was the dominant covariate here. After adjustment for demographics plus cardiovascular risk factors, the RID was 0.98 (95% CI 0.89, 1.07, P = 0.63). After adjustment for all the parameters in the previous models, the RID was 0.87 (95% CI 0.78, 0.96, P = 0.006). In a multi-ethnic sample free of overt CVD and diabetes at baseline, C2 predicted incident diabetes after adjustment for demographics, BMI and CVD risk factors. Differences in arterial blood pressure wave morphology may indicate a long-term risk trajectory for diabetes, independently of body size and the classical risk factors.
Nutrition and Supplement Update for the Endurance Athlete: Review and Recommendations

Background: Endurance events have experienced a significant increase in growth in the new millennium and are popular activities for participation globally. Sports nutrition recommendations for endurance exercise however remains a complex issue with often opposing views and advice by various health care professionals. Methods: A PubMed/Medline search on the topics of endurance, athletes, nutrition, and performance was undertaken and a review performed summarizing the current evidence concerning macronutrients, hydration, and supplements as it pertains to endurance athletes. Results: Carbohydrate and hydration recommendations have not drastically changed in years, while protein and fat intake have been traditionally underemphasized in endurance athletes. Several supplements are commercially available to athletes, of which, few may be of benefit for endurance activities, including nitrates, antioxidants, caffeine, and probiotics, and are reviewed here. The topic of “train low,” training in a low carbohydrate state is also discussed, and the post-exercise nutritional “recovery window” remains an important point to emphasize to endurance competitors. Conclusions: This review summarizes the key recommendations for macronutrients, hydration, and supplements for endurance athletes, and helps clinicians treating endurance athletes clear up misconceptions in sports nutrition research when counseling the endurance athlete.
Coupling of alkenes and alkynes: synthesis of the C1-C11 And C18-C28 fragments of miyakolide.

A transition metal-mediated, atom-economical approach toward the crucial A and D rings of miyakolide is described. A Pd-catalyzed alkyne−alkyne coupling/6-endo-dig cyclization is employed to assemble the A ring fragment. The key D ring pyran is constructed utilizing an Ru-catalyzed alkene−alkyne coupling followed by a Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation to establish the all-cis stereochemistry.